Love Me For Who I Am
by Sexy-Sama-San
Summary: Rin is hidden by a youkai scent and cannot be identify as a human. She seeks for tenseiga due to her master's needs of it. (& her master is not sessy!) Sesshoumaru hates humans, but found himself drawn towards Rin. Will he love her for who she truly is?
1. Memories

*Note… ok now fans, this is like my first fan fiction ever and so be nice to me if I don't know that much of Japanese ok… and if there are any mistakes, feel free to review it to me alrite??? Well onto the story…*

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*Ch.1- Memories

*Rin has been traveling for days without any rest, just like how a real youkai would. Rin wore an outfit of a young samurai which her master gave her for her traveling. Her purple sack which was folded from a seven foot long shawl, contains her red kimono; which she bought back in a village about two years ago, and her youkai clothes and that hides her human scent during the night, along with the copper chain anklets, bracelets, and her peasant feather earrings which brings in the youkai scent.

At her side was the Black Jade Snake Sword Xhing-Yi gave her when she finish her training in the Virgin Swords art.

*Now all I need to complete this search is tenseiga*. Thought Rin.

By now the sun was almost set and Rin could feel her human blood racing to her head, her body ache from walking, urging for a night of rest.

"ah… great…. A headache!" She sigh to herself. It always seems that Rin gets sick every time the seasons change. With this season though, blossoms bloom, and she can easily use the "Wind of the Virgin Dance" to defend herself from any youkai when she goes through her woman cycle. But when winter comes, she'll have to use her sword.

*how do I find tenseiga… no one knows who the owner of tenseiga is and does anyone have a clue what the sword might look like???* Rin thought.

From what Rin knows, the sword was made from a Youkai Lord and was given to his son… *I thought that I've found the sword when I met Inuyasha, but his sword can kill, tenseiga can't kill… these two swords has such similar names and the one who owns tenseiga… well his name was quite confusing that I forgot what his name was. The woman that was with him though, did say that Inuyasha and the owner of tenseiga have similar looks. What was I thinking and what was I doing when she explained this??? Well that was at least 4 years ago when I first started my journey, who'd remember all this information? Hump!!!* Rin sigh to herself as she ended her thoughts and took a path down to the forest.

The sun has set upon the horizon and the stars was brightly shown upon the skies. Rin had to change into her youkai clothes fast before any youkai smells her scent. With the headache, the smell would be even stronger.

Rin can hear a stream near by and went towards the stream for refreshment. Across from the stream was a path going up a hill. "A village", she said to herself as she raise her hands to her sash to undo it. Just then, a scream came to her senses and she grabbed her sword and ran to where the scream was coming from. Rin find that a young girl was being seduce by bandits.

"Please, don't hurt me" cried the girl.

"Ah so young… so beautiful… what do you guys think we should do with her?" said the man who seems to be the leader of the gang. He wore a green haori and had an eye patch over his left eye. His head was nearly shaved bold and his gang wore similar clothing of multiple colors.

" I don't know" said the one in brown, "maybe we can take turns". They all laugh as the girl seems weary of what they meant.

The head of the gang grabbed her arm and looked at her with desiring eyes. The girl cried aloud and he pushed her to the ground.

Just then, a flash of light came from the trees above and *SLASH*!!! Blood squirted onto the girl as to the rest of the gang. The leader's mouth was dripping with blood as his head slid off. They all gasps in shock and horror.

There stood of what seems to be a young samurai, back to them with its sword trailing down with blood, its hair was held up in a high ponytail, as it turn its head slowly to them.

"She seems a bit too young, don't you think?" came of what seems to be a females voice.

The gang stepped back in horror as the samurai dashes for it's next opponent, cutting it's head off with one strike. The rest of them tried to flee, but found themselves running through trees (meaning their dead and their spirit is still running, *dumb, huh*). All died but one remained and went on his knees for forgiveness from the samurai.

"Explain"… said the samurai.

"please…. Please….s..s… spare me… I.I…I promise to never do this again…. I promise… please" the man begged.

" Not reasonable enough" the samurai said as it swings its sword to the mans neck.

"PLEASE" the man cried again. " Please forgive me… I will never, I promise never to do this again… and… and… and……. For the sake of my family spare my life…"

" I'm not going to spare you for the sake of your family. I don't know how many girls you gangs have raped and how many families you've killed. It's for the sake of them for me to kill you". The samurai said coldly as it raise it's sword up, coming down with speed to end the man's life with his head. But for that moment, the samurai felt pity for the man. Watching the man in tears and on his knees begging for his life. 

It reminded the female samurai when she witness her father begging for the life of his daughter. *Family*… that word, that thought tugged at the female samurai's heart. The sword stop as it came down onto the mans check. *Swish*…. The female samurai placed a cut on the mans cheek, turning her back to the man and shielding her sword at her side.

"Go, you can thank me by doing yourself good, leave now before I change my mind. Just leave". Using the similar lines when the bandit once said to her when her family was killed. The man ran off into the darkness of the forest.

"You spared me, now I've paid it back" saying this with her eyes closed. Rin place her thoughts on her father again, seeing him on his knees and in tears…

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*Flashback*

"Please, spare my daughters life, take mine… just don't harm her please"… those were his last words as the bandit dragged a six year old Rin into the forest.

He cut Rin's left cheek with his sword, turning his back to her and shielding his sword quickly. "Go, you can thank me for your fathers wishes, leave now before I change my mind. Just leave". With that, the bandit took off back to where they came. She heard her father cried out and Rin ran deep into the forest.

Rin ran until she couldn't run no more. She was out of breath and hr voice became harsh. She reached the next village and her last words were "please help Rin's family", until she fell to the ground and woke up to see that everything was real. It wasn't a bad dream, it was worse. From then, Rin became a mute for a while until she met Xhing-Yi in the forest.

Xhing-Yi was badly injured and was lying up against a tree. Blood ran freely from her arms and legs. The youkai woman wore a long dark purple skirt that reaches her ankles. A striped fur of black and orange at the right side of her hip and a black sash on the other. Her haori was black and a flawless vest like over it. Her black with white streak hair fell loosely to her lower waist. She was wearing copper ankle lets and two bracelets on each wrist. Peasant feather earrings dangle along side of her neck, she was beautiful.

"Mama"! Rin cried… Rin ran and sit next to the youkai women and sobbed..

"oh mama, I was so scared that those bandits killed you"!!! whaaaa……. Rin hugged the youkai woman only to see that she shrieked and let out a yield.

"Oh mama Rin is so sorry… please don't die…." Rin cried softly to herself. The youkai woman stared at Rin with confusing eyes. Rins clothes were torn and her face was cover in dirt. Rins feet oftenly bleed form the hard ground and thorns were stuck at the bottom of it.

"I know, Rin will go and get mama something to eat and drink ok mama…" with that she ran back to the village and later came back with a fish on a leaf and a bamboo pipe filled with water in it.

"hear you go mama, sorry for taking Rin so long." The youkai woman didn't take her eyes off of the girl.

*What does she think she's doing? Is she trying to help me? Treat me with human food?*

The youkai raise a hand to her chest, "Xhing-Yi".

"Huh?" Rin only looked confuse, but then send a smile at Xhing-Yi toothlessly.

"ok mama!"

*She thinks I'm her mother? Surely I can't really understand her, but anyone can understand the word "mama".* Xhing-Yi thought to herself.

"Shi-shi". (Thank you in Chinese) said the youkai.

"huh?" Rin look at the youkai with wondering eyes.

*what am I saying, the child can't understand my language. How do you say thank you in Japanese again?… ah yes!*

"umm…. Ahno… arigatou" Xhing-Yi tries to smile at the girl.

"Rin's pleasure mama!" Looking at the scars on the youkai, Rin then rips off a piece of her torn kimono and pour some water no it to clean the blood on Xhing-Yi's wounds.

"mama, what happen? What about papa? And sister Coco and big brother Teiji?" The girl question with teary eyes. "Are they coming back also?" Rin begins to sob again.

"Please….uh… ahno…don't cry" Xhing-Yi managed to say.

The youkai's wounds were deep. Her haori was nearly torn to shreds, almost exposing her bare breast. There were claw marks on her neck and arms down to the side of her right stomach. There were also wounds on her legs.

After wiping away some of the blood from Xhing-Yi, it already had gotten dark.

"You go home" Xhing-Yi says with her finger pointing to where Rin had come from.

"Rin wants to stay with mama. If mama don't go with Rin, then Rin don't want to go back to the village… People there are mean to Rin and the hit Rin really hard mama". The child said sadly.

"Hai" the youkai said. The youkai woman helped herself off the ground and undo the sash at her side. Petals fall from the you kais skirt as she stood. With one strike of her sash, the branches of the trees fell from its place. Rin star in amazement.

"Can you get wood?" ask the youkai woman.

"hai" Rin said with a smile on her face. The child grabbed some twigs and branches and took it back to the youkai. Even with the you kais injuries, she can still manage to get her sword off of the ground and then ask Rin again to find her a rock. With that done, the youkai woman made a bonfire and settle down for the night.

*the child won't leave me won't she?* the youkai woman tells herself. She then got up once more with her sword and made a circle around the tree she was leaning up against and the bonfire.

"come" said the youkai woman extending her hand to Rin.

"Yes mama, what is it that mama wants?" said that child.

"You find… uhhh… ahno…" *What's the word for flower?* the youkai thought.

"um… huar" she say as she gestured her free hand to make of a form of a flower. "Huar"…

"oh… flower mama?" the child smiled at the youkai. "Mama wants Rin to get mama flowers? Ok mama!" the child ran to grab some flowers nearby and handed the youkai woman the flowers.

Instead of taking it, the youkai did a picking with her hands telling the child to pick the petals off of the steam. "Pick off petals", she said. The child did as told and just stare at the youkai what to do next.

"Ummm….spread around circle." the youkai said.

"hai" Rin answer. Rin spared the petals around the circle. The youkai handed the child her sword gesturing her hand to insist her to toss the sword. Rin through the sword and with one swoop of the you kais shawl, the sword stabbed the ground, making the circle glow. Rin stare in amazement and laugh freely.

"Beautiful!" Rin shouted. She then an up to the youkai woman and hugged her tightly.

"Night mama" with that, the child fell asleep in the you kais arms. Xhing-Yi hum a beautiful melody to the sleeping child and later fell asleep herself.

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@___@ argh!!! Well here it is… my first story… I hope all of you guys enjoyed it… well here's a couple of notes… 

Well Xhing-Yi is bleeding from a fight… and guess who it was with, yes, Kouga…. The wolf demon. It seems that Kouga wanted her for a mate but had to go through a fight just to claim her. I'll explain in later chapters…

And you guys are probably wondering why Xhing-Yi didn't toss the sword herself and let the child do it huh??? Well now duh!!! She's injured!!! NO!!! now you see, only the one that is still "clean" and "pure" can use the sword. The circle was for protection and well the petals is what hides the scent for preys. Now, Xhing-Yi no longer have that power to purify the grounds… only the one that has not yet been "touched" my any male can hold that power… see this is why Rin will use the "Virgin of the Wind dance" to defend herself cuz she's also train to be a virgin goddess…

Well I guess I suck a notes too so I'll just shut-up for now… and if you have any questions or what so ever, please feel free to email me or review this ok.. Latas…@_^


	2. Frozen

*Note*: ok people I was so happy with the reviews that all ya put in ^__^… well here are some notes…

Ok in my last chapter, if you guys didn't know, the word; huar-means flower in Chinese… 

Yes, and Rins master is Chinese from China…. She knows little of Japanese but she'll soon learn more as she grows closer to Rin… which I'll explain in later chappies ok… 

I know… I know there are errors in my last chapter but I'm like so tire so I'm not going to change that so gomen to you all ok… well, you guys will know what I mean when you come upon it… ~_#

Well again, I'm not Japanese and of course not Chinese either ok… so forgive me if I do any stupid mistakes alright ^_*… 

Oh and another thing… just to get to let ya know, and of course to get all of you guys anxious up and stuff…. Sessy is not going to come in till Ch 3 or 4 ok… so you guys don't have to forgive me on that… of course I hate myself for doing that too…..

Well if you guys have anything to tell me or ask, feel free to email me or review me ok… your reviews are like so good….. And I'm also going to start on a new story too so don't miss out on that….. 

*** and there will be a sequel to this story and so hope I can get to that story soon alrites*** well enough with this note, you guys probably won't even read it so here's the story….

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Ch.2 * **_Frozen*_**

"Arigatou" the girl said, bowing her head low to Rin. Rin just stares at the girl, with the dark night and the trees covering the moon, Rin couldn't see the girl all that well.

"you live across the stream?" Rin ask the girl.

"hai" the girl answer, looking shy.

"it's dark, you shouldn't go back until tomorrow morning". The girls blue kimono was made of plain fabric with silk thread designs of flowers. Her dress was torn up the side and her left sleeve was torn off…

"why are you out here?" Rin question the girl.

"I was suppose to come down here to get some water from the stream because my villages well was all dried up. I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble my noble samurai" the girl said with her head bowing low.

*WAIT!!!….her noble samurai?!?!* she thought to herself…

"How old are you?"

"I am at the age of thirteen" the girl said shyly again.

"You really shouldn't be out here, there are youkai's and bandits at this late hour".

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble, but please, if you must, please walk me back to my village. My family will be worry if I don't go back. I've been out here long and they are now very worry about me"… she said with a sad tone…

Rin turns her back and starts to walk away…

"you're not coming?" 

"hai, wait for me"… the girl said in a childlike tone as she stands up and follows Rin.

They walked back to where Rin first came from. Rin left her sack at the stream and went down to open it. She took out her red kimono and gave it to the girl…

"here, put this on", with that, she stood up and left the girl to change in privacy.

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"Sakura!" cried a woman who was now in tears of finding her lost daughter…

"Sakura, where are you?" yelled the father… 

"Miss, we can't find your daughter any where!" a village woman also said with panic.

"Mother, we can't seem to find Sakura anywhere!" a girl said with teary eyes. She was wearing a yellow kimono with decorated silk butterflies and falling leaves at the hem of it… 

Her sash was orange and her hair was held up into a high ponytail… she was quite pretty with her perfectly tanned skin and pink lips… her eyes brows were pluck into a thin line, and her eyes were hazel.

"Hanna, what are we going to do?" 

"Don't worry mother, I'm sure they will find her. Don't cry mother", said Hanna comforting her crying mother.

"we should stop the search, it's too dark to find your daughter now" a village man say as he walks back to his house, followed by many others looking sad to Goro.

"you can't stop now! My daughter is out there!" the mother cried out to the men's who were walking back. The mother ran up to one of the men and start hitting him with her free hands yelling at him.

"No you must find my daughter, we were always in help when all of you needed us, you just can't let our daughter die out there in the woods!" the mother cried. Her husband ran up to her to com her down.

"Shinji, Shinji…we'll have to stop the search" Goro say to his wife holding her with his arms from behind. The mother couldn't do anything but wept and went on her knees with her husband still on her back. Hanna came up to her father and sigh.

"Father, what are we going to do?" Hanna question her father.

"We wait" he said with his eyes close nuzzling on his wife's hair. "after three days and if we still can't find her, we'll do a good-bye ceremony for her" he says this as his wife cried out louder…

"NO!!!" the mother wept as her husband and daughter helped her into the house…

**********

Back at the stream, Rin could hear the villagers searching for the lost child. She went back to her sack to see an already change girl standing in front of her. The girl bow again with thanks.

"arigatou for the kimono".

she says this looking shy again, the kind of look that says *oh thanks for your kimono, I bet you would want to take me as a life time mate now just because you helped me* 

*Great!* Rin sigh to herself. Rin went down on her knees to open up the sack again. She was about to take out her youkai clothes to change into but heard a rustling from the trees…

*Youkai!* she thought to herself as a ball of light came dashing onto her with speed.

Rin ducked just in time and the youkai missed. Another ball of light came form behind Rin and knocked her down.

*Damit!!!* she looked up and there were at least eight or nine balls of light flashing before her eyes… 

The girl ran up to her and hide behind her back. Rin shack out her belongings from her shawl and flipped it lose from it's folding.

With one swipe of her shawl to the ground, Rin was now in the air, racing through the trees and fighting with the youkais. The lights were quick but Rin was also as fast as they were. She swings her shawl back and forth with bravery as the girl looked amaze from the ground.

A youkai came in on Rin as she held her shawl in place to strike the youkai. She swing her shawl to the youkais head and it wrapped the head. She pulled it back and the head came off of the youkai. 

It turns out to be a giant firefly. *hump* she smirk to herself, *this should be easy* as she calls for the winds to do the "wind of the virgin dance". 

The winds came flying in with petals of flowers and leaves. Rin danced the petals and the leaves and it swirls around her. 

With many twisting and turnings, she was like a dust devil in the air. The winds around her began to glow pink and blue, yellow, and then orange. 

Rin came to a stop and flex her body as the wind light explodes into a goddess like form of Rin. The pink, blue, yellow, and orange light went through the youkai's body and they died instantly.

*a beautiful death* she thought calmly as the dead bodies glow of the color light that went through them.

As she slowly comes down with the wind assisting her, the glow from her body warn away.

"Are you a youkai also" the girl asked Rin.

Just then, a sissing came to Rins ears as she turned around to see what it was.

A red giant snake youkai came from the stream and tries to knock the girl down, but Rin blocked it in time and send herself off flying backwards. Rin still had her shawl in hand and got the wind to help her from hitting the ground.

She came back up and swirls with the wind around the snake. Another snake youkai came into view and spat out water to stop the wind. 

The water cause the petals to go wet and the wind turned into ice with sharp edges cutting Rins samurai clothing.

Rin ducked out of it and went for her sword but she was caught by the youkai's bubble attacks causing her to fly backwards, and this time she hit the ground. The green snake youkai spat out a bubble water and trapped Rin in the bubble.

She swam in the dark bubble and tries to find a way out as she was becoming short of breath. She can only see darkness inside of the bubble and can feel her blood freezing within her.

"Lets see if you can get out now human" the green snake hissed at the bubble which holds Rin in it.

Rin was almost out of breath and if she kept swimming she will soon froze up the bubble due to that she was trained to be a wind goddess.

Sakura had to help her, or they will both die.

Sakura grabbed Rin's sword and ran to the bubble…. And with one strike, the bubble pop and Rin came out of it. It was now a very wet Rin and she was coughing from the water.

"Are you alright?" the girl question.

Rin only nodded. Seeing this, the youkai send another bubble at Rin. But this time, it was a clear one and the bubble was strong.

Rin was weak from the attack before and couldn't find the strength to move. The youkai snake send one to the girl as well to trap her from escaping as she dropped the sword.

"after we're finish with the samurai, we can eat the stupid little human wench he has with him", the youkai's laugh as it makes its next move towards Rin.

The bubble shrivels up and trapped Rin once again. The youkai's were now playing with the ball with their tails, bouncing it back and forth form the trees. 

This continue for awhile and Rin that was in it, couldn't do anything due to her strength. However, it did cause the blood to flow faster as she spit out blood from her mouth. 

The youkai's laugh as they saw her weak from their deadly trap. Rin looked up at the youkai's and smirk. 

Seeing this the red snake youkai send her off to a close by tree, letting her drop to the ground once more as blood trails from her mouth.

1.….2.…3, drops of blood onto the bubble and the bubble melt away. The youkai's were shocked at this as the red youkai tailed her to the tree where the Sakura had drop the sword.

Rin fell flat on her chest as she reaches for the sword. The youkai's laugh again.

"Silly human samurai, what can your sword do?" the youkai's were not paying much attention cause of their laughs.

With all her strength that she still has, she swung her shawl at her legs, wrapping it and grabbed her sword that was close by. 

She raise up her bowed legs at the red youkai and using her sword as arrow, aimed the youkai right in the heart as the other snake youkai looked shocked at what the human can do.

The youkai cried aloud and starts to turn into ice it self. The sword turn white as the icy youkai came apart from the sword.

They green youkai look at Rin with terror as it slit back to the water. Rin swipe the sword with her shawl as it makes its way to the bubble where the girl was inside.

The sword broke the seal of the bubble and nailed at a tree, freeing the girl. The sword turn back into its own color again as Rin felt herself slip into unconsciousness.

The girl ran up to Rin and place her on her lap, shaking her to wake up. Sakura found herself crying and grew worry on the looks of Rin.

Rin was pale from the condition and her body was cold as snow. Her clothes were torn from the drops of the edges of ice earlier and a trail of blood from her mouth.

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***ok here you go people, my second chappie*** hehe ^____^.. Well I hope that you guys all enjoyed it.

Well I don't know if this chap is long or not but it's ok I guess…. And I hope that it wasn't too boring cuz of all of the action and stuff… 

Well the story if mostly focus on love b/t Rin and Sessy… so I'm going to go into that like whenever I guess..

Well just to let all of you guys know, I love action, and there will be like action all the way from this little story, although it is suppose to be about love….. Now of course it's about love, a very painful one at that!!! Heehaheheh…. 

Well hears a little clue on the story, since my summary sucked… well ok…

So Sesshoumaru will eventually meat Rin in a very "Men Fantasy" way…. And yes it will be in the next chapter… ^___^… Rin is hidden by the youkai scent from her youkai clothes that she'll be wearing… Sesshoumaru says that he loves her later in chapters but he does NOT know that she is a human… of course with her agility and powers of what she can do, no youkai, and I repeat, no youkai will believe that she is human… he, of course, being the Sessy that he is, says that he hates his half brother Inuyasha cuz he's a half breed and hates all humans… Rin is human and she loves him, but she's not sure if he'll love her if he finds out that she is human… Rin will have to protect herself with her powers, meaning that no matter how much she desires to be "WITH" Sessy, she'll have to have the purity virgin winds to help her…. If there is one drop of blood from her, then her true identity will be reveal. Meaning, she has to have that purity or else Sessy finds out…. 

***AND NO, THERE WON'T BE ANY RATED X IN MY STORIIEESS!!!***

Well there you have it… gosh me and my big mouth, but hey, I can't help it… well that's my summary ok so all yall better be nice to me ok ^____^!!!!!!


	3. Butterfly Room

*ok people, I'm back here again with chapter 3... Ok… and if you've read the last chapter, I put up a summary of my own and stuff…

Well finally after two dam chapters, Sessy walks into the story huh??? Well I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter cuz it's the Rin/Sessy chppie ok… ^_^!!!

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*Ch.3 - Butterfly Room

"Hey, hey, please wake up" Sakura cried as she shake Rin to wake up. "I'm so sorry for causing you so much trouble, please don't die!"

Rin opened her eyes a bit to see Sakura crying. It had been a long time since Rin got hurt from a fight. Seeing Sakura cry, it reminded Rin of herself when she first met her master Xhing-Yi.

*thank god I'm not dead* Rin thought to herself as she closed her eyes again. Sakura had helped her to a nearby tree a settle her down underneath it. 

She ran to the tree where Rins sword was nailed to and pulled it out, and ran back.

Rins clothes were wet and her hair was no longer in a ponytail. After putting the sword down next to Rin, Sakura went to find her old blue kimono.

The night was cold and Rin's headache had gotten worse from the fight. Sakura came back with the torn kimono and wrapped it around Rin for warmth.

She then made a fire and went to gather up Rins belongings where she dumped out before the fight. *Is she a woman then?* feeling a little stupid of what she thought Rin was before. She saw the youkai clothes on the ground and picked it up and went back to the fire.

Sakura settle the clothes down on a rock next to Rin and reached up to Rins sash to untie it. *Good, now that this samurai is a woman, I won't have any trouble worrying if 

I should undress her or not* she sigh.

A hand snatched up to stop Sakura before she undo the sash. Rin open her eyes to see Sakura staring down with "what's wrong?" eyes.

"Leave it" Rin said as she let go of Sakura's arm and fell back to sleep.

**********

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" a youkai maid said as she enter his chambers.

"What is it?" the Lord said coldly at the maid.

"your uncle wants to know what your plans are for the upcoming event, he also wants to know how many guests you are inviting." said the maid.

"it will be as always".

"but, my lord, your uncle says that…." she was cut off with a growl from Sesshoumaru, and she left the room with a bow.

*how pathetic!!! Being the Lord of the West Lands and you still have your uncle treating you with care and celebrating your birthday like a child… Hump!!!* Sesshoumaru thought to himself…

This was the North Lands of where his mother was from, and his cousins were to inherit the land after the lord dies.

Being here in the North Lands for nearly a year and a half, Sesshoumaru became calmer than before.

Though it angers him at times when the servants enter his thoughts, but it was better than to have Jaken around to bug him.

The castle was surrounded by beautiful flowers and fresh cut grasses. The castle itself was made of marble and glass. The curtains were of silk and saffron, and the scenery was breathtaking.

But even with the beautiful surroundings, Sesshoumaru seems to be missing something in his life….

*What could it be?* he thought… *could it be tetsuseiga, Inuyasha's sword?*

"No…" he said to himself…. Even if he own Inuyasha's sword, what he felt can never satisfy him.

There was nothing that can seem to solve his problems in this matter of fact… 

*I have everything, my sword that can heal, my sword that can kill, my fathers grounds, and I can have a mate any time….. what else do I want?* that thought made his demon blood boil and growl at himself.

He thought about this long, until he came to a conclusion that he was still mad at his father for marrying Inuyasha's mother.

"Dam you father….. My mother died because of you"…… his eyes were red from the fact.

He storm out of his room and walked down the hall. The hallway was made of pure white marble and the walls were done by white jade… the hall was decorated with silk and safon…. 

Candles were lit along the walls and there was a sculpture of a dragon along side of it also..

Sesshoumaru walked down the marble stairs and out of his private quarters into the garden. 

From there, he dashed out of the castle walls into the woods, making sure that no one saw him…

*this will give me time to think and refresh my mind* he thought to himself as he headed off to the stream nearby.

**********

Rin woke up the next day. Her head still ache from the pain and her body was sore form the fight with the snake youkai last night.

Sakura came and sit next to her with a "good morning" smile.

"umm… good morning, how are you feeling?" she ask Rin.

Rin just stares at the girl as she raise her right hand to touch her left arm with and "ouch" expression.

"you are hurt, let me help you across the stream to my village so they can treat you with care. You can stay with us until your headache goes away." Sakura said.

Rin only nodded and put her hair up into a ponytail again. Sakura help Rin up to a standing position, and handed the Black Jaded Snake Sword to Rin and went back down to put her belongings in the folded shawl.

Rin took the sack without any insisting from Sakura as they cross the stream. They went up the trail to where Sakura's village was.

The people of the village seems to be working as always as Sakura walk with Rin holding her arm, making sure she won't fall to the ground with her heavy head.

As they make their way through the streets of the village, many young girls laugh at the sight of seeing the samurai with Sakura.

Many of the girls tries to make eye contact with the samurai but Rin avoids it. The girls laugh and giggle, in an annoying way of saying "oh my goodness, he's so cute" sort of way.

Rin roll her eyes at the sight of their laughers and at the thought of what they were thinking about.

The two walked until they came upon a house which look better than the ones they've pass.

"Sakura?" a female voice came from behind them… it was Hanna, Sakura's older sister.

"Hanna", Sakura said as they ran to embrace each other.

"Sakura, where were you, you got the whole town worried sick about you!!!" Hanna explains to her younger sister as they hugged each other again.

"where's father?" Sakura ask her sister.

"father and the rest of the men's went out to look for you, we look for you all night Sakura-san". 

"I'm ok now, I'm home and thanks to this samurai woman here who helped me" Sakura says this extending a hand to Rin.

Rin felt the whole world turn around her as her body grew heavier for the headache. 

Rin was now in a heavy breathing and sweats starts to form from her headache.

"There is no such thing as a samurai woman" Hanna scold her sister.

With that said, Rin fainted and fell to the ground. Hanna and Sakura gasp at the sight of her falling.

"hey, hey, are you alright, what's going on?" Sakura said in panic.

"Sakura-san, that's a very rude way of calling her that!" She scold her younger sister again.

"what?"

"calling her "hey", now you know better than that".

"well she never really did tell me what her name was". Sakura answer.

"hurry, we must get her inside", saying this as they both help each other to get Rin into the house.

**********

Rin woke up to find herself in a bedroom that was nicely decorated with obi's and flower pattern all over…

There were butterfly crafts and designs dangling down from the sealing… pink, green, yellow, orange…. 

A table from the left side of the wall from door point which held a samurai sword on top of it… next to the sword from the right was a scroll of painting and poetry…

There were two sleeping mats on the floor and now three, for the one that Rin was lying on, and candles on each side of the corners of the room.

Rin still had her samurai clothes on and her sack was put down next to her along with her sword.

Rin got up quickly as the door slide open. A woman came in with a tray of tea pot and a cup for Rin.

"you must be hungry my dear", said the woman… " I am Sakura and Hanna's mother Shinji, I thank you my dear for finding my daughter and returning her to us"… the older woman said this as she bow deeply in thanks for her daughters return.

"please, you mustn't show such respect. I am a traveler from far away and I have helped many people along my journey, there is no need for you to bow so deep towards me" Rin reply this as she adjust Shinji up to face her.

Shinji was a beautiful woman. Even with her age, her eyes remain its young beauty and grace.

She wore of a long orange kimono with a bright green obi. Her hair was put into a bun with a two chopsticks sticking out from both sides. 

With the way that she was fairly dress and the decorated room, Rin knew that the family was a middle class. The sword that stood on the table, resembles that neither one of the family members was a samurai, or the father himself was once a samurai.

The door slide open again as Sakura and her sister Hanna walked in with a soft silk green kimono and a pink sash to go with it. Though the family was quite fair, there seems to be no servants to the family.

The girl place the garment down and sat next to their mother quietly.

"please, I must ask for your name my dear" Shinji ask Rin… "tell me why you have travel so far. If you were a man, then I won't be all in shock, but to see a beautiful young girl such as you to travel all by herself can take up some surprise even form a king".

"My name is Rin" she says this after clearing her throat. "I've come a long way to find the sword by the name of tenseiga".

"oh my dear!" Shinji gasp in shock. The two sisters stares at each other surprisingly to what Rin was saying. 

"The sword tenseiga is own by a great Lord. Why is it that you need this sword Rin-chan?" The woman ask.

"umm….. I…. do not intend to speak of this, please forgive me, but I must finish my task". Rin reply.

"Very well Rin-chan, I will not speak of this no more"… she reach down where the garments were and handed it to Rin.

"Rin-chan, here is a fresh kimono and sash, in return of yours for my daughter… I thank you again for bringing back my daughter. I have much to repay you with Rin-chan, if you need anything, you may ask me and I will be at your services. Lunch is now ready but we must wait for our guest. My daughters will help you with your clothes now". 

She said this as she headed for the slide door.

"There is no need for you daughters to help me dress aunty, I can help myself". Rin says this as Shinji was about to step out of the door.

Shinji turn back and look at Rin with questioning eyes.

"Are you sure Rin-chan? You have a headache and are not heal yet from your wounds last night"

Rin stares at Sakura and then back again at Shinji.

"I told you she won't let anyone see her in her privacy!" Sakura says as Hanna elbow her.

Shinji gives a smile and walks out of the room.

"we'll see you at lunch Rin-chan" Sakura said to Rin as she walks out of the room, followed by her sister Hanna.

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***ok there you have it, chapter 3, done… look, I'm so sorry for promising you guys that I'll do the Rin and Sessy chap, but things just sorta go out of my hands and well, I guess you guys will have to wait until the next chapter ok… well it's a good thing too cuz I up date soon and stuff…

Unlike SOME people, it takes them forever and then, it turns out that they never finish the story and gets on my nerves….

Well I feel like there are no notes for me to remind you guys….. But there is one thing though, I think probably after chapter 4 or so, I might do this little summary on the sequel to this story…

Which I hope to update pretty soon too… there will be stories that I would like to share to you guys, that I'll be writing and updating them also…. But for right now, I'm just working on them ok… wow, this chap is long….. Well until next time…. See ya latas alrites….. ^_____^!!!!!


	4. Human Eyes

***hey there people, well like I've said, that if I don't get enough review from people, then I don't want to continue this story.

But then I had some of my friends read it and they say that I have to get to the "exciting" part of the story, which is the chapter, so I guess I'll put up this chapter to get everything all juiced up ok…

Well here are a couple notes… ummmm…. Hummm… well I can't think of anything right now for the time being.. But I think it'll come to me after this chapter ok…. Well enough now, you guys are probably wanting to read the story now so well here it is…..***

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Ch. 4 - Human Eyes

It was a beautiful clear morning. Sakura's family treated Rin with care and kindness…

Shinji's herbs helped Rin recover from her headache, but the wounds on her body will have to take time.

The towns people were very anxious to see this "Samurai Woman" Sakura was so in pride about, but no one have gotten a glimpse of the woman, since she was still recovering from her headache and injuries.

Rin's headache still spins at times, and the heat still remains in her body. Rin knew that she had to go to a nearby river, stream, or any kind of water sort to wash away the wounds and treat it.

Rin had gotten up from her sleeping mat and slip off her undergarments. She put on the soft green kimono that Hanna and Sakura had provide for her and tie on the pink sash. 

She put her hair up with a chopstick, letting a strand hanging down from her now put up hair, to the right side of her breast. 

With that done, she slowly took a few slow steps towards the door, being careful not to hurt herself from her burses and cuts on her back.

She came into the living room to see that no one was there. Rin looked around the house trying to find Sakura, Hanna, Shinji or even Goro, the father of the house; to tell them that she wanted to go outside for some refreshments.

Rin came into a room, filled with many scrolls on the cabinets. She did not dare to read any of the scrolls due to her weakness and lack of eye sight from the snake youkais bubble attacks.

*They won't mind if I was only gone for a few hours would they?* Rin thought to herself as she made her way out of the front door.

As soon as she came out of the house, the towns people stared at her in awed. No one has seen a true beauty before.

Hanna was known to be the most gorgeous in the village, but the samurai woman had a different look to her, that makes her stand out and more appealing from any other woman.

With the green kimono that she was wearing, it really brings out her pale color skin, her ruby lips, and those beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

She was almost known to be a youkai, if it weren't for her human resembling of eye color and her short ears.

The people make waves for Rin as she passes. Men's stare at her, mouth and eyes wide open, looking at the woman with every single movements that she makes, every steps that she takes, wishing as if they owned her.

No matter the ones who are young or old, they would admire her beauty. The young ones would wish that they were old enough to court her, the old ones would wish that they were young again, and the men's who were married, wish that they were still single and bare no children.

The women and children's were all quite and the young girls who were laughing and giggling before, were now admiring her beauty along with the men as well.

Rin ignored the people as she walked by and made her way down the streets to the path where Sakura had taken her to the village from the stream.

As soon as she was out of their sights, she sigh with relief and headed down to the stream.

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Sesshoumaru was away from the castle for days now, not wanting to return due to his mind that was still trying to figure out what else he wanted in his life.

He was walking along the stream and came to a clearing where the water coy into a small pond that were held together from rocks. The water from the small pond flows out into a beautiful fall and the sounds of the fall were soft and relaxing.

Sesshoumaru spotted a tall tree, a few yards from the pond and walk over to it. Standing underneath it, he looked up and grabbed onto a branch and made his way up to the middle of the tree.

*I wonder if this is how that half-breed put his thoughts away.* As Sesshoumaru always sees Inuyasha sleeping upon on a tree. 

He came to a stop and sat down upon it with his arms cross, looking down at the beautiful scenery. 

Once again, his thoughts were distracted, not from a servant, not from his uncle or cousins, and especially not from Jaken, but from a scent of a human.

He can hear foot steps and from the scent of the human, he can sense that it was injured from a fight and was still weak from it.

Rin slowly walked out from the trees and went over to the small pond. She went onto her knees and threw the petals that she had picked along the way into the water.

*Pathetic wench! What does she think she's doing, fighting to get herself injured like that and coming here, with her filthy human scent, sickening me to my youkai brains. Her bloody scent is unbearable, and I don't understand why that half brother of mine, and father can actually stand that horrifying human smell!!* Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he watches the human undresses.

Rin slowly raises her hands up to her sash and unties it, letting the sash fell off from her slim waist.

She then puts her hands on the collar of her kimono and took it off slowly, revealing her bright, pale smooth shoulders. 

Then, down to her pale, soft back, and to her small, slim, beautiful waist. She stops as she reaches her hips and slowly waked into the water, not being aware if there were intruders nearby.

She got to knee length until she fully dropped the kimono into the water, exposing her fair behind and her breast, that were beautifully round from her workouts of trainings.

Reaching up to take out the chopstick from her hair, and let her hair fell loosely down to her buttock. Rin let go of the chopstick as it fell to the bottom of the pond.

She made her way to a near by rock and sat on top of it with her knees in the air. She ran the right side of her head with her left hand, making her way down to her shoulders, and down to her arms.

And from her arms to her right hip and she put her and in the water, swinging her hand back and forth, making ripples from it.

Cupping her hand with water in it, Rin slowly bring her cupped hand to her right shoulder, rubbing it as the water ran freely down to her elbow.

Rin continued this with each side of her shoulders. She finally came to a stop and cover herself with her naked arms. 

She tilted her head up and closed her eyes as a sign of calling for the winds. A small whistle of wind came to Rin, blowing her hair from her back to cover her beautiful face.

*Darn it, I was just about to see what that ugly human looked like* Sesshoumaru thought as he narrowed his eyebrows.

Even though Sesshoumaru didn't want to admit it, the human was very beautiful, even more beautiful from any other youkai woman that he's seen.

Many female youkai had undress in front of him, wanting to satisfy him, but their pleasure was never a seceded because he would drag them out the door before he even take a second glimpse at them.

As Sesshoumaru watches, the human step back into the water and went lower and lower into the water until her head was not seen. 

The wind blew the petals to formed a pile on top of where Rin had disappeared under and it gave a sort of glow. Rin did not come out of the water for minutes as Sesshoumaru smirks to himself.

*Hump! Good, she drowned herself and die, at least I didn't have to kill her with my bare hands! Dam that human wench!* Sesshoumaru thought to himself closing his eyes, with a satisfying smirk that the human killed herself in front of him.

Just then, the wind came in with a howl, making a dust devil of petals to where Rin had gone under. 

Rin pop up from the water, her hair, her bare shoulders, and face was trailing down with water as the dust devil of petals died out and making the petals fall onto her from above.

*What is she, a witch or something* Sesshoumaru thought as he witness of what just happen between the human and the gust of petals.

*It can't be, no human can do that*. He tries to calm himself as he feels a rage of killing coming.

Rin flop backwards into the water again, making splash sounds. She was now swimming in the water happily as if she was never injured.

Every time when Sesshoumaru tires to get a glimpse of what the human look like, it was neither that her back was to him, or her long hair was in her face, or she was ducking into the water, as if she knew the whole time that he was there, and purposely not wanting to face towards him.

He couldn't make out clearly of what she looked like. But by judging the shape of her body, Sesshoumaru had to admit, that he was quite wrong about her smelling nasty and looking ugly before.

Throughout the whole scene that had taken place, Sesshoumaru did not move or take his eyes off of the naked human girl that was swimming in the small pond.

He feel that as soon as he takes his eyes off of the girl, everything would disappear. It would just be a dream.

*How can she be so foolish, if there are any youkai nearby, they would definitely have taken her for a mate. How can any youkai resist her… Dam it, how can I think this way towards this lowly human?* Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyebrows at himself for thinking in such a way about the human.

Just then, it was as if his thoughts came true, a youkai scent caught his nose as he turn his head to where the scent was coming from. Sesshoumaru turn his body a bit, making a small rustling sound as he saw that it was a Green Snake Youkai.

Rin heard something from the trees, it was as if someone was watching her for a very long time now. 

Thanks to Sango who had teach her how to use her sense of hearing, now she has a perfect hearing if anything that moves around her.

She did not just heard the one who was in the tree, but also of a youkai nearby. But for right now, she just wants to poke the owner of those eyeballs out that have been stalking her in her privacies. 

Rin slowly flows out of the water and taking each step on the petals that was in the water, quietly making sure that the intruder had not escape, so that she can pop those eyes out.

Sesshoumaru was still concentrating on the snake youkai scent and debating if he should help this human nymph.

*Why should I, I am Lord Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West Lands. I'll just let that lowly human wench die, this should be fun to watch. It's not like she's worth it anyway, it's her own fault that she came here in the first place, to get herself kill* thinking this to himself as he look back to where the human was bathing, only to see that she was not there.

*Where could have she gone to?* as a hard kick came to his cheek, knocking him out of the tree.

He landed on the ground, and within a second, Sesshoumaru was spinning in the air with another kick as the girl slip his yellow and blue sash from his waist and wrapped it around her naked body.

Sesshoumaru landed on the hard ground again, putting his sense together of what just have happened.

Rin was now standing in front of him, who was still on the ground, and again, her long black hair was blocking her face from his view.

"Who the hell are, and how dare you stalk me in such a way!" Rin said with anger, as Sesshoumaru got off of the ground with speed, aiming at her throat with his clawed hand.

Rin spun from him just in time and grabbed the inu youkais sword form his waist, putting the sword up against to his own throat. 

*how can she be that fast? And what does she think she's doing holding toukijin like that! Can't she sense the evil aura from the sword?* Sesshoumaru froze at the sight of her.

He still can't see her face from all her hair, but her, this human, wrapping herself from his sash, the sash that only he himself and no other youkai or human would dare to touch with their filthy hands.

But how could she, how dare this lowly human touch the Lord of the West Lands possessions.

"Hump! I swear I'll pop your eyes out with your own sword for stalking me in such a manner. No one, but me, myself, and I have the rights to even think of glancing at myself!" the human said.

Her voice was low, and loud with anger, telling him that she will kill him. No matter who he is, not even if he was Lord of the World, she will kill him for looking upon her naked form.

Just then, the snake youkai came out of its hidings and blew out bubbles at the two.

Rin pushed Sesshoumaru out of the way as the green bubbles came onto them but had missed. The green snake youkai swings its tail at Rin, as she jumped up from it.

Sesshoumaru was once on the ground again. This time, he really is going to kill that human wench. But first, he must take care of the snake youkai.

*That snake youkai!!! Hump! I'll make sure to kill it this time!* Rin thought, as the snake youkai swings its tail at her again.

The tail came dashing onto Rin once more. With the inu youkai's sword in her hands, she cut off the youkai's tail, letting purple blood flow from the snake youkai, leaving the cut off tail wiggling from the ground.

"You'll pay for this human!" the snake youkai cried out loud. The snake youkai send off bubbles at Rin again. She blocked it with the inu youkai's sword and tries to aim at the youkai's head with it.

As she tries to make her way to the youkai's head, Sesshoumaru came in front of her with great speed. 

Rin drew the point of the sword away from Sesshoumaru, as he grabbed it from her hand.

The snake youkai blew a bubble to Sesshoumaru's back and send him off flying into a nearby tree.

The green youkai dash its way at Rin once more, but she jumped out of the youkai's way.

*I can't call for the winds now, I'm still wet and I'll freeze up just like last time*. Rin panic.

She jumped her way to get her pink sash, but the youkai came onto her and knocked her away.

Rin received a cut from her right arm, as she hit's the hard ground. Blood trails down her arm as she gets up again, looking at the youkai with raging eyes.

The snake youkai laughs at the girl.

"You killed my mate girl, now I shall have your life in return" the snake said as it makes it way down on Rin again.

Sesshoumaru watches as the two fight. He can smell blood on the girl. *She's hurt*. He thought as he sees the snake youkai come down onto the girl again.

He has never seen a human, especially a woman fight with such bravery, before that demon slayer Sango.

The humans moves were just as quick as any strong youkai, maybe even faster than some. But she was diffidently not as fast as he himself, the great Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru was just about to leave the two alone to fight to the death, until he sensed the energy on the snake youkai. 

*She's a human and is not quick enough for this youkai's attacks.* Sesshoumaru thought as he slowly turns back to the fighters.

Rin was now nearly dry and jumped into the air to call for the winds, as the snake youkai spat out some poisonous attack at her.

Sesshoumaru ran with speed to where Rin was and ducked her out of the way, sending both of them spinning in the air. 

They landed on the hard ground, rolling a couple of feet's to where Rin's pink sash was. With the great Lord on top of the human girl.

And again, the humans black long hair covered up her nose and her lips, only revealing her chocolate brown human eyes staring up at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru stared at the girl who he was on top of. With her naked arms and legs, he cannot stop telling himself of how soft she was.

But even if she was appealing to him, he cannot take her for a mate. She, who was underneath him was his long time hatred, and he must not be like his father and his half brother Inuyasha.

Their eye contact was like forever and Sesshoumaru can feel her heart beating within her skin. His own breath was heavy, mixing up their scent together.

The snake youkai seeing this, he made his next move towards them once more. He send off another of his poison attacks.

Sesshoumaru sense the poison and rolled off with Rin a couple of feet's away from the aim. He got up quickly and trashes up to the green snake.

Rin's heart was still bounding from what had just happened between the inu youkai and herself. She, on top of a youkai! A inu youkai.

She got up and ran to where her pink sash was. Grabbing it, she strike the ground with her sash and was now in the air.

Sesshoumaru was fighting with the snake youkai now and was getting very tired of it.

He gave one swing of toukijin at the green snake youkai's head and successfully killed it.

The green youkai's body beamed down with a loud thud. The youkai died and Rin made her way back to the ground.

Sesshoumaru sense her coming down, he then speed off towards her and grabbed his sash that she'd wrapped herself around with.

He pulled at it, letting her spin in the air and was now in her naked form again. Rin fell and splashed back into the water.

She popped up again with her back to him, feeling a little shame that a male has seen her naked form.

"If I ever meet you again, I surly will kill you, and that's a promise" Rin says this as Sesshoumaru ties his sash at his waste again. 

It was a good thing he had on a small white sash to secure his pants under his yellow one, or else his pants would have fallen off when she took it from his waist.

"Same here, wench" Sesshoumaru said coldly as he walked away leaving Rin still in the pond.

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***ok people, well here it is, chapter 4!!! Argh, wow, this chapter was like so long and stuff. And with all the describing and stuff well I just hope that I did ok on that too.

I did the best I can for all of the describing and stuff… well if I suck at it, please forgive me and stuff ok….

Well here are like a couple of notes to you all… well first of all, Sessy still had his pants on and stuff… ok… gosh imagine that, wouldn't he be mad at her if it really did…

And well… Rin kicked him in the face, so that he can't see her up close of her naked form. She kicked him again because she was wrapping herself in Sessy's sash…

Lets just assume that his sash is at least 3 feet wide ok… and about her hair well, I didn't want him to see what she looked like yet, not until like later ok…

Well I can't really think of anything rite now, so if there is anything that's confusing to you guys, feel free to email me or review it ok….

Oh and another thing, if I don't get enough reviews from you guys, then I can't move onto the next chapter and stuff ok…. Well make sure to write a lot of review ok, that makes me feel special and makes me feel like writing more alrite…. Well laters now….. @___@!!!!!


	5. The Samurai

***** ok people, well hello again… well here's chapter 5 and if you guys read the note that I put up, as you can see, I have a lot of errors in my last chapter…

****** but I'm not going to change any of that because I'm lazy and it just takes too much to go through and change all that… 

***** well if you guys have any questions what so ever, please feel free to review or email me ok… ^__^

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Ch. 5 - The Samurai

Rin stood in the water for a long time, running the scene over in her mind of what had just happen. The inu youkai who had spotted her in her privacy's image flash through her mind like a dream.

She kicking him; she wrapping herself around her body with his sash; he in the air; he killing; he on top of her; his ember eyes; her long dark hair; their scent mixing in the air; his body; he pulling away the sash; she in the water again; his voice; her response…

All this made Rin feel so like such an idiot. Every male who has desire to take her as a mate from the past, died in her hands or her masters. 

But how could she had let that white mutt get away. Was she too insular at the time or was she a shame that a male had seen her naked body? She was the wind, no one can see the wind but only to feel it.

"Damn that bastard! I should've killed him!" Rin scolded herself. She had the chance to kill the inu youkai, but had let the chance slipped away. 

"How could I've let that… that perverted… bastard get away?" She said to herself.

"I'm the wind, no one can see the wind. How could he? That bastard!" She clenched her eyebrows at the thought of him. 

She couldn't get a clear picture of what he had looked like. The least thing she remember about him was his ember eyes, his white clothes, and the resembling on his face, proving that he's a highly class rank youkai. 

* If it wasn't for that snake, he be dead!* She thought. She look around to find her green kimono, only to see that it was no longer where she had dropped in the water. The kimono had floated away long ago during the fight.

"BAKA!!!, what's wrong with you today" saying this as she flopped back into the water. Now she has no clothes and will have to find a way to get back to the village.

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Sesshoumaru was back at the castle. He inter his private quarters and into his chambers. He toss his sword tokijin onto the bed, not wanting to hold the sword any longer for that human wench's scent still lingers at it. 

He looked at the counter to where tenseiga was placed on and glared at the sword coldly. He smirked to himself; the sword was worthless to him and he has no plan and no use of the sword.

Sesshoumaru left his room and walked down the hall and down the stairs to the bathhouse. He had to get the human scent off of him before any of the servants smells it on him.

He came up to two doors that was close in together; the doors were at least fifth teen feet high. He inter the bathhouse and close the doors behind him. He first took off his sash and threw it to the ground with disgust. 

He then took off his armor and his fur pelt letting it drop to the ground, as he remove his haori revealing his well built form. 

His chest and shoulders were board and his stomach held a six pact. His skin was thick and pale; and his white silky long hair trailing down his back. 

He unties the small white sash that secure his pants together and let that drop to the ground. He slipped out of his white pants and ducked into the warm water. Sesshoumaru scrubbed his whole body with his clawed hands. 

He didn't care if he tears his youkai skin, all he wanted to do was to get the human scent off him. 

Until he can no longer smell the scent on him, he settle down into the warm water and put his thoughts onto the human he met at the small pond.

Flashes of her flush his mind as he clench his brows at the thought of her. He surly is going to hate her forever and will kill the human the next he sees her.

"Baka!" he told himself. He got out of the water and put on a white robe. 

*Where is that Jaken when you needed him?* He thought to himself again. Jaken was the only one who would understand him, and now he needed Jaken to wash his clothes to get the scent off.

He did the next best thing he could and he'll have to call for Kioko, the servant that organizes his bed chambers, to wash the garment. 

Kioko was a middle age female raccoon youkai that had once baby-sit Sesshoumaru when he was a child. But then had been asked by Sesshoumaru's father to take care of Inuyasha and his mother. 

After Inuyasha's mother died and Inuyasha became old enough to take care of himself, Kioko went back to the Northlands and served Lord Yamurohiko, Sesshoumaru's uncle.

Sesshoumaru left the bath house and went back to his quarters. Hopefully that no one will go into the bathing room to see his garments on the floor.

Kioko was already in his room organizing the bed sheets as Sesshoumaru inters. Sesshoumaru was relieve to see that she was there, so that he can tell her to get the garments out of the bath house.

"Kioko"… 

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you have return."

"Kioko, go to the bath house and get my clothes. Take it to the stream and wash it there. Make sure that no sees you. After you clean them, go back to the bath house and make sure that the scent no longer lingers in there."

"Yes my Lord, is there anything else you would like?"

"no"…

"Yes my Lord." understanding this, Kioko left the room to the bath house.

*What could have Sesshoumaru gotten into this time?* Kioko thought to herself as she walks to the bath house.

As she enters the bathing room, she spots Sesshoumaru's clothes on the ground. As she bends down to pick up the garments, she can smell the scent that was on Sesshoumaru's yellow sash.

It was a scent of a woman's; a human scent. Kioko sniff the sash and the clothes to pick up any signs of mating, but none. 

Kioko, having to be around humans when she had to take care of Inuyasha and his mother, can sense that the human was quite strong. 

No one has ever been able to put a finger on Sesshoumaru's clothing, only when it needs to be wash. But youkai clothes don't need to be wash so often; hardly at all.

This was the first time Sesshoumaru has asked Kioko to wash his clothes, no one has ever since he came here, and that was at least for about a year and a half now.

Kioko knew why Sesshoumaru wanted her do so, it was to wash off the human scent. It'll be a shame to have the youkai's here to even think that the Lord of the West lands is just like his father and his half brother Inuyasha.

With a shake of her head and letting out a sigh, she picked up the garment and left the bathing house to the stream.

************************************************************************ 

It was now nearly dark until Rin had finally made a decision to go back to the village. She had skinned off the snake youkai, and made it into a kimono like' to put on. 

Though the piece was short, it'll have to due for now. She tie on the pick sash and walked barefooted.

When she reach the village, people once again stared at her as if had never seen a human being before.

But she knew the reason for them to be staring this time; it was because of her skinned clothes she made from the green snake youkai, and her loose hair that was not put up. 

The outfit was too tight on her and it was showing off every part of her body. Plus, the length of it gave her a slavery look, more likely to be very seductive. 

There were many horses being tied to the poles of Sakura's house; and as she approaches the house, there were voices coming from inside of it.

Rin decided not to enter the house and was about to leave when the front of the door slid open.

"Rin-chan!" Shinji coming out of the door and running down the steps to where Rin was standing.

"Rin, my dear, where have you've been? The people here said that they saw you left early this morning. Where did you go, and why didn't you tell us where you were going? And why are you wearing this?"

Shinji was shocked to see what Rin had had on. Shinji made a worried face as she examines the outfit.

"Rin, what are you wearing? This is a snake youkai skin that you're wearing. Where's the kimono I gave you?" Shinji said with a worried voice, thinking about what Rin had to go through to be wearing this.

"Um… it's ok aunty, I'm fine."

"You certainly am not fine! You have a headache, and should have stay inside, Rin-chan!"

"I wanted to go out this morning for some refreshment, but found myself being attacked again by the same youkai I fought before. The kimono you gave me was tear to shards, so I had to skin the snake to make me something to wear. That's why it took me so long to come back. Gomen nasai aunt Shinji." Rin lied, not telling about her incidents with the inu youkai.

"Well then, we'll have to go inside and I'll give you something to wear. My …"

Shinji was interrupted when a man popped out of the house. "Mother, who are you talking to?" he said.

Rin stared up to see a young man dressed in a highly rank samurai suit. His hair was not cut or shaven in a traditional hairstyle of a samurai, but had it held in the back of his head.

The colors of his clothes were rich silky fabric, and his face was smooth and pale like Sakura and Hanna's. He was quite handsome in a way; very handsome actually, Rin admitted. 

In some way though, the man that was standing in front of the door way reminded of someone who Rin had once knew. 

The eyes, the nose, and the lips were very familiar to her. But she cannot remember who; perhaps she had seen him somewhere before, due to that he is a samurai.

"Rin-chan" Shinji finally said, "this is my eldest child, and also my son besides Hanna and Sakura. His name is Teiji." 

Teiji! Yes of course… Teiji, he look just like her older brother Teiji himself. Though this man here was the older version of her long dead brother, their eyes, nose, and lips were the same. 

Teiji, Rin's brothers face was more round and this man here's face was more skinnier and had sharp features. But to have the same name? That took Rin into curiosity.

"Hello" Teiji said to Rin with a nod.

"Hi" Rin said with curiosity eyes.

She stared at Teiji, studying his every movement, only reminded her more of her brother. 

Teiji, her brother die when he was twelve, but the way this Teiji here talks and moves, he was exactly the same as her brother. 

For a moment there, Rin had believe that it really was her brother until Shinji had told her of where he was born and of his age.

Rin's brother was six years older than her and they had never really gotten along. He was always picking on her and she had hated that for she was still very young to pick on him back. 

But he was very protective though, even if he does pick on her often, he would fight back any boy or girl who make fun of her themselves. 

He would always say that she was his worm to peck on and that they should go find their selves a worm to eat. 

And when the bandits came to kill her family that one night, she had survive because of him. 

He had stood up to her, holding her protectively, telling her to run while he fought the bandit with his own hands. It was a Teiji she never thought she'll see.

And he was killed in front of her very own two eyes, with his last words of saying to run away.

Rin never knew why her brother and her never got along until her master Xhing-Yi told her that it was because of their zodiacs. 

Rin was born under the tiger sign and her brother was born under the monkey. They were six years apart, and animal zodiacs, if you're six years apart, then you won't get along at all…

Rin wasn't sure how old this Teiji was, and it was rude to ask so soon. Shinji led Rin into the house with Teiji following behind. 

Shinji had one arm over her shoulder, covering her feminine shaped body due to the men's who were inside. All the men in the house looked up and all was quite when they enter.

They men's started whispering to one another as Shinji led her to the butterfly room which she woke up from that morning. 

They enter the room, and to see that Hanna and Sakura was also sitting in the room made her feel relieve. 

Hanna and Sakura stare at Rin with wide eyes. They got up quickly from the mat they were sitting on and ran to where Rin and their mother was.

"Girls, find something for Rin-chan here to wear. I must go to the market to go get some things for tonight's dinner. We have a lot of guests tonight." with that Shinji left the girls in the room. 

"Rin-chan, why are you wearing this, and how did you get it?" Sakura asked in a very childish way.

"Rin, you shouldn't have gone out like that, we were very worried. Now that my brother has come back, he has already send some of his men's to go look for you. They should be back by dark." Hanna said.

"Gomen nasai Hanna, Sakura. But I was at the river to refresh myself. And when I came back out of the water, the water had already floated the kimono away. So I had to kill the youkai and skin off its skin so that I can make something for me to wear to come back." Rin lied again.

"Oh my! But with that headache, you can still do that?" Sakura asked.

"If you're well train, yes" Rin replied.

"Enough now Sakura-san, we must find something for Rin-chan."

With that, the girls went to their chest of clothing and pulled out a red kimono. The kimono was nicely decorated with cherry blossoms at the hem of the sleeves and the bottom of the skirt.

Hanna pulled out a yellow sash to go with the red kimono and handed it to Rin. Knowing that Rin won't let anyone see her dress, the girls left the room, letting her dress in private.

After she had dress, she welcome the girls back in. The three girls sat down on the mats again and Rin told her fighting story to them as they listen in amazement. 

"Rin-chan, how do you learn how to fight like that, who taught you and how can you make such powerful moves? I thought that you were a youkai when I saw you kill those fireflies!!!" Sakura said.

"Oh Sakura! Can you just stop asking Rin-chan such dumb questions! You've seen her fight, why are you keep asking the same questions you ask brother Teiji?" Hanna scolded at her little sister.

"Well at first I thought that Rin-chan was a boy, then I thought that she was a samurai, then a youkai and then…." *WACK* Hanna had smack her sister at the side of her head for her to shut-up.

"OUCH!! Why'd you do that for!!!" Sakura whine…

"You talked too much little girl."

Rin giggled at them. Hearing Rin giggled, the girls stop the arguing and turned to Rin. 

"It's ok Hanna, Sakura can ask if she likes." Rin said to the arguing girls.

"See! Arggh" Sakura sticks her tongue out at her older sister who was getting annoyed by her childness.

"So Rin-chan, can you tell me how you get your special powers?" Sakura asked again.

"Sakura…" Hanna sigh and shakes her head. "Please forgive my sister for asking such questions Rin-chan. But she is a curious one." 

"That's ok Hanna-san, I'll tell her if she wants to know." Rin said to Hanna.

"well first of all, I was train when I was a little girl. My master Xying-Yi, she's from China and she herself was trained in the arts of the virgin. She came to Japan and was injured form a serious fight. I saw her in the forest and was mistaken her for my own mother." Rin said sadly as the girls listen with sorrow. 

"Gomen for asking you such a question Rin-chan." said Sakura.

"What are you saying, I've never shared my past with anyone else besides my master. I didn't stop calling her mother until I was ten. 

That's when I realize that she can't be my mother. I've always knew, deep inside of me. But I was scared to admit it. 

When I was ten, kids from the village would yell at me that I'm a youkai's daughter, and that I'm a hanyou. 

But I know for sure that I'm human. My master never aged and that's when I realized it… that she can't be my mother. 

But she didn't mind if I called her that. She sometimes… actually respond to it. People in my village were human, but they can't even love me just because I'm an orphan. 

But my master, she loved me for who I am, for what I am. I've always thought that youkai's were scary and nasty, but seeing my master leaning up against that tree looking like my mother the first time I saw her, I just couldn't help it but think that she is my own mom. 

The first time I called her master, she was shocked and surprise that she actually cried." Rin ended. By now her eyes was filled up with tears. 

Hanna and Sakura was so moved by her story that it brought them to tears as well.

"Rin-chan, we're so sorry for having you to tell us this."

"Arigatou, I've never felt this close to any humans before. You guys are the nicest people I've ever met in my whole life."

"You mean you lived your whole life with youkai's?" Sakura asked with wide eyes. Rin nodded her head and seeing this, the girls leaped up to embrace Rin. 

"Oh Rin…" Sakura sobbed.

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***** ok there you guys!!! Chapter 5, done!!! Well I think that there will be tears the next time I get back on Rin's past. I know that I'd cry myself.

Well… humm…. san, chan, who know's how to use these terms. Well at least I don't!!! @__@ well people, tell me how to use it ok. And hummmm…. Is there anything else??? Oh, and that name I gave Sessy's uncle, well I don't know it just sorta sounded like Japanese… @______U well don't sue me ok, I don't own any of these characters. 

Well I can't think of anything else right now… but there'll be action in like the next chappie I think… I don't know, more like not sure, but hey, like I've said, I like action. So this story is on action ok… and romance, and drama, and conflict and stuff like that… 

well if there are any question and comments, please please please pleaesssssseeeee review. Those reviews are like so special to me ok… 

it makes me want to write more… so please do so ok…. Ja Ne…. (ha!! I don't even know what that word means!!! See it on others and just put there I guess…. T_T!!!!) well latas now ok… ^__^


	6. Moonlight Flowers

***** Hello there again people, well sorry for the long wait…. I'm so sorry, I really did not have time last week to up date ok… 

But if you guys checked I did posted my second story… it's call "I'll Be Waiting"… well here is chapter 6 to Love Me For Who I Am ok….

Oh and guys, I think this chappie here is going to be quite short ok…. So sorry if it is… I made it short because I'm so busy now… 

Gosh I hate this time of the year, get so busy with my dancers and the up coming pageant that I'll have to work with the girls… gosh, well..

Well here are some answers to some of the question I got from reviewers…

Q: What's up with Rin being the wind and all?

A: Well first of all, Rin is train as a wind goddess, you can't see the wind right??? And obviously you cannot ever watch her when she is in naked form… not unless you have claim her as a mate, which I will explain in later chapters… and Rin is Rin, not Kagura… that's why she wanted poke out Sesshoumaru's eyes so badly because he saw her in her form… and as you see it, she did not even let Sakura or Hanna help her dress…. Even if they are woman like her….

Q: Is that Teiji guy really Rin's brother?

A: The question is NO!! he is not her brother… he looks very much like him but their attitudes are different and plus Teiji, Rin's brother, die when she was little. But I can tell you guys this, Teiji will built feelings towards Rin later on… in fact it's in this chapter…hehehhe… gosh thinking that you're brother has a crush on you… (Shrieks, ~_~)… 

Well those are the questions that I've been asked, so there you go… well anyways onto the story… chapter 6...

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**__**

Ch. 6 - Moonlight Flowers

It was about dawn until Shinji finally returned from the market. The village scent is now filled with cooking, boiling, and a little bit of dust from dawn.

The men who were in the house was now quite from exhaustsation of drinking. Some of the men spent the night in the house with Sakura's family, and most of them went to a nearby inn.

Shinji had to bring in the girls food; she bring in soup and tea for Rin and regular dishes for the two younger girls.

They had to stay in their room due to their maidenhood and may not be seen by men much if a family member is of recognition. 

Hanna and Sakura's brother is highly respected from the village and from the officers their selves. Teiji is a noble samurai and has been ranked into higher class, due to his ability of fighting and skills that not many samurai would be able to maintain.

He now works for the governors as a protector and a warrior, that's why his hair was not shaven as samurai tradition. 

His family was summon to be moved to the city, but Goro did not want to leave his village and his long time friends and so, remained in the old village where he was born.

The girls had finish their meal but Shinji did not come in yet to claim the eating wares…

"I think you should go and help you mother Sakura" Rin said to her.

"But why me? Why can't Hanna go?" the girl questioned Rin.

"Your sister is much older than you and due to tradition, she will remain hidden, but you little one, must go out there and help you mother because no men such as they will look at you yet". Rin tease Sakura.

"oh, alright…" Sakura wined…

Sakura collected the bowls and tea cups and left the room. Leaving Rin with Hanna.

"Hanna?" Rin asked.

"Hmm?" Hanna looked at Rin with her eyebrows raise.

"Umm… Hanna? How old is your brother Teiji?"

"My brother Teiji?"

Rin nodded to Hanna.

"Well… humm… lets see, I'm now seventeen and he's five years older than me… that'll make him….. twenty-two." Hanna said counting her fingers.

"Oh, I see"…

"Why what's wrong?" Hanna ask Rin.

"Nothing" Rin said, looking a bit sad at the ground.

"Something tells me that you want to say something…. What you told me a Sakura earlier, was not the whole fact of your life, is it Rin-chan?"

Rin looked up at Hanna with one tear drop falling from her chocolate brown eyes. She got up from where she was sitting and walked a few steps away from Hanna. Hanna got up slowly and follow Rins steps.

"Rin… I… ahnou…" at this, Hanna really didn't know what to say. Rin turned back around slowly setting her gaze at the ground and looked up to meat Hanna's eyes…

Another tear trailed down her check… then another; Rin was now crying. She was so beautiful, even when she cries, her beauty remain eternal.

"Rin… I'm so sorry,… if I…" Hanna was cut off.

"Aren't you going to ask how old I am? Or even guess?" Rin said.

There was a long silence between the two, for Rin, she was waiting for an answer, and Hanna didn't know what to say, or how to say it to stop Rin from her sobs.

Rin turn her gaze away from Hanna and walk to where the samurai sword was sitting. Hanna had her back to Rin as she walks away. Rin place a hand on top of the counter and rubbed the top slowly.

"I'm nineteen" Rin broke the silence with her lips parted.

"You're so lucky to have a brother like Teiji".

At this Hanna turn back to face Rin, but she still had her back to Hanna and was still gazing at the sword that was sitting on top of the counter.

"I once had a brother like Teiji. When I first saw him, your brother, I knew that he looked, somehow,…. Very familiar to me." Rin took a deep breath and spoke again.

"My past, every memory came back to me when your mother said his name. Every picture that I had as a child, that I now bury it deep inside of me, came back. When your mother said his name."

"Rin…." Hanna tried to stop her before she goes deeper into the story, but Rin ignored it and kept on going with the story that she had to tell…

"I was an orphan; before that I once had a family like you did. I had a older sister, an older brother, a mother and a father like you. 

It was a full moon one night, the night when moonlight flowers bloom. It was a very beautiful night to me, and I went out to pick the flowers. 

I was on my way back when I heard my sister scream from inside the house… I ran to my house and open the door quickly, only to find that my sister dead and my mother being raped from the corner with cloth in her mouth and two men holding her down while another riding upon her.

I screamed at the sight, my father tried to cover my mouth from screaming but received a cut on his back by one of the bandits.

My brother, Teiji, tried to pull me away from my sister and cover me with his arms, but he was stab once in the back. He coughed out blood on me.

The bandit tried to kill me too, but my brother protected me with his last breath with his arms and received so many cuts from it. They kicked him in the side and dragged him away from me by his broken legs that they caused. 

He held out his hands, his hands were all bloody from the cuts and he told me to run away. I escaped out the door but was pulled back from one of the bandits that was guarding the door.

My father's legs were all broken and his lips were bleeding from the beat. But he manage to beg the bandit who had me by the collar to let me go…

My father could barely speak. His eyes were full of hatred and tears were trailing down his face. His hands shaking violently begging the bandit to let me go, he begged for my life.

The man took me into the forest and place a cut on my neck and told me to run away, and that my fathers wishes were granted.

I ran through the forest and fell upon the moonlight flowers. I woke up the next day and thought that it was only a dream. 

But you wouldn't have cuts on your ankle from running and a child young as myself wouldn't be sleeping out here with moonlight flowers beneath me.

I became a mute for a while until I met Xhing-Yi, my master. She looked so much like my mother if it weren't for her youkai resembling, I'd say that it was.

When I first found her in the forest, she looked like the day that my mother was raped and killed. I called her mom for the next seven years and lived with her.

She trained me to become one of the wind goddess that she once was. And so she succeeded in doing so… but without her pure powers with her though, it will be very difficult to find the Three Phoenix Seed and to get pure water from the sacred mountains of the South Lands due to all the danger that you'll have to go through."

Rin finally stop and close her eyes, letting the tears in her eyes run down her checks freely.

"Why do you need to find the Phoenix Seeds and get pure water from the sacred mountains of the South Lands?" Hanna questioned.

"It is for the Sacred Tree of the West of China". Rin say to Hanna.

"Sacred Tree of the West of China?" Hanna asked.

"Yes, my master is one of the wind goddess's of the west. The tree is their lifeline, and without it, the pure wind goddess's will die if the tree is destroyed".

"Then why has it taken you so long to do so? And why is your master the only one who is after these substances?"

"the Sacred Tree', leaves off a sign of dying every one thousand years. We have but twenty years to find the three substances to heal the tree. For you to be able to touch the substances, you must be trained from the master herself for you to do so…"

"So does that mean that you'll become the next Wind Master?"

"Yes. I only have one more year before the tree dies."

"how many have you've gotten so far?"

"All I need now is the sword Tenseiga, that is why I've been seeking it for the past four years."

"wait a minute, so that means….. 1,2, 3,4.… you started your journey when you were sixteen?" Hanna said counting her fingers.

Rin nodded.

"Wow, and all this time, I thought that you looked much younger than that."

Rin gave a sad grin.

"How old did you thought I was?" Rin said.

"I… well, I thought that you were only about my age or so…" Hanna said to Rin.

There was a long silence between the two. Hanna didn't know what to think, or what to say to Rin… her life was full of tragedy and probably more than what Rin had said… 

Her family was killed when she was little and that was only when she was six years old… who knows what else happened when she was growing up.

"Rin…. I uh,.. I'm so sorry for having you to tell me about your past. But please, I don't want to see a sister of mine cry like that." 

At this Rin looked Hanna's way with a tear rolling down her check, her lips parted and her chocolate brown eyes wide in shock at Hanna's words… she bow deeply to Hanna.

"Arigatou" Rin said still bowing with her eyes closed. Hanna rushed over and held her by the shoulders and embrace her. 

Hanna was crying with Rin, having to hear Rin's story, Hanna wonder what she would have done if she was in Rin's position. 

*I would have died a long time ago if I was Rin* Hanna thought still embracing her friend, now as a sister.

"Rin-san, my family owns you a lot for bringing back Sakura-san, if you don't mind, I believe that my family will be more than glad to' to take you in."

"No, Hanna-san… my life is to live with journey and traveling. That is my destiny. Arigatou, for excepting me as a sister, but I cannot live here long. Until I have my strength back, I must continue on with my journey."

"But, you will have to go through so many danger with your journey."

"I know"… Rin finish…

**********

Teiji has been listening outside of the bedroom walls throughout the whole story. He has not seen any woman who would travel alone like Rin and would be willing to step away from a family of her own.

Rin was very beautiful, but with her letter age, she was to be known as an old maid. She can even lie that she's only fifth teen if she wanted to, and if she did wanted to, he would ask her hand in marriage. 

But a woman like Rin, it will be very difficult for her to open her heart to any man and to court her. From what Teiji had understand of Rin saying that there were many "danger" along her journey, it means that she has killed many youkai's who stands in her way.

And by the fact that she had saved Sakura, and by Sakura's story of being save by this samurai woman, she did killed some firefly demons and a snake youkai. 

Rin had killed the bandits who were trying to seduce Sakura which were about ten-fifth teen of them. And on top of that, she wore a snake youkai's skin home when she was coming back for her "refreshment".

Rin is a very dangerous woman, if it was to be said in court, and would be put on list under rewards if she was found. 

But for she who only kills the bad to save the good, then she can avoid trails if it was to be posted upon her.

Teiji has lived in the city for a long time and has seen many beautiful woman, but no one had the appealing nature that Rin has and for a man who likes challenges such as Teiji himself, is very picky about woman and wanted someone who can battle Teiji's words in debate or in courting ship. 

Most of the woman from the past that Teiji had courted, would neither laugh or giggle at Teiji and blush like most girls would do. 

But for Rin, she seems like she can answer every riddle that Teiji has and give statements that Teiji himself cannot answer.

Yes, Teiji liked that, and the thought of wooing Rin into falling in love with him excited him and wonder how hard this particular woman can be.

*Rin is not properly train as a maiden in music or in poetry, but who can take no' for an answer when it's Rin* Teiji thought to himself, and then smile at the thought of how he will court Rin before she continues on her journey again.

**********

Sesshoumaru looked up at the dark night and thought about the human wench who was at the pond earlier that day. 

*I will kill her the next time I see her, I promise.* He thought.

Sesshoumaru fisted his hand at the thought of the girl. The girl reminded him of Inuyasha's mother, and how much he hated humans. 

His father had shame their family name enough, and now his half brother, is now mated to a human himself. Sesshoumaru is not going to follow his fathers footsteps into human mating' trap.

He will find a suitable mate that is but only a youkai, and make him more powerful by the chitchat of people, of how wonderful he is unlike his father and half brother. 

*My mate will be a youkai and not some slut who wants pleasure from me* Sesshoumaru promised, clenching his eyebrows at remembering how many female youkai who had been killed and dragged out of his quarters by him before they can even undo a sash.

*I promise you father, that I will not shame the family name like you did* Sesshoumaru thought to himself again as he walked out of his chambers and escape the palace walls out to the opposite side where he had hiked and met the wench.

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*****ok people, well here it is, chapter 6, will I hope you guys all liked this chapter… I think it's kinda short though, don't you think….

Well I hope to make the next chapter longer ok… and well, anyways, this chapter focused more on a "BIT" of Rin's past. There are more to Rin's past and will be explained in later chapters ok…

Well I'm tire, so please review to me… and thanks a whole bunch to Mangaofdarkness for telling me how to use "san" and "chan" I just hope that I used it right in this chapter… @___@ 

Well ja ne ok…. Oh and PLEASE review people…. ^__^


	7. Old Stone Maidens Heart

***** hello there once again people, well so sorry for the long, long wait.. I know, I know, I hate it when people makes me wait too.. Well before I continue and go into the story, here's the answer for **"dark n light" **question ok…

****

Q. how old do you have to be before they start calling you an old maid?

****

A. well for what I know, to all of us Asians, (well at least to my cultural) people will start calling you an old maid when they don't see you chatting with guys or have been living with your family for a long time…

@__@!!!! and well, lets put it this way, if you have friends that were born at the same year, or is about the same age as you, and they all got married except you, and they already have to at least like 2-3 kids and you're still not married, well, then you're an old maid for all those stupid villagers care!!! 

I know huh… I got that info from my parents… and for us Asians out there, back in the old days, girls gets married at a very young age… lets say from the ages of 13-15 or 16, that's when you're still **GOOD**!!! But if you're like way' past that, then well you are a **GRANDMA**!!!! 

Hehhehehehhe well that's what I know, and I'm pretty sure it goes to all the other Asians out there too… and when it comes to kids, hehhehehee, back then they want **A LOT **of kids to run around, and will eventually have kids right after when they get married…. Hehhehehe well that's all I have to answer to this question… ^___^

* oh yes and on chapter 5, I did kind of messed up when I say that Rin didn't know Teiji's age but Shinji told her of his age, and then it said again that she didn't know his age, well I'm so sorry about that. 

I was going to change that but then I forgot cause it was like really late at night… and I don't own this computer, so I had to go to bed… the computer is in my parents room so they were kind of cranky, so that's why I messed up… but like I said, I'm not going to change anything because I don't have time for it ok… so gomen nasai so much ok…

***** well now onto the story….

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Ch.7 - Old Stone Maiden's Heart

Rin woke up early that morning and went outside to sit on the patio. She had taken the blossom comb that Hanna had given her, and comb her hair with it. 

Rin observes the sunrise and hums the song which her master had hum to her when she was little as she slit's the comb through her hair.

She was stroking her long strands with the comb when she heard a soft ruffling sound coming from behind her. 

Rin had tried to ignore it as it comes closer to her, but she became weary as it came closer to her. Rin's arms were full of Goosebumps and she had to think fast of what to do next.

For she couldn't detect (smell) if it was human or demon; she place her palm on the wooden floor of the patio and tries to catch the senses of the steps. She let out a sigh of relief when the senses of steps were of human. 

Demon steps were much harsher and heavier than humans, because of their weight and the way with their swift movements, but with humans, their steps were much softer and is not as careful with their steps.

"Good morning". Rin say to the human who was a few feet away from her.

"How did you know it was me?" came a male voice.

Rin turn around and sees' the man standing a few yards from her. His hair was tied up in a high ponytail. His handsome pale face held a smile, and his chocolate brown eyes glitters in the morning sun. 

Teiji was wearing a different outfit from the day before; his pants were blue and was wide at the bottom. He was wearing a vest over his haori and tie his waist with a black sash. He didn't have his samurai sword at his waist and was bare footed.

"Anyone who can fight, can catch the smallest sounds" Rin say to Teiji as she place her hand holding the comb on her lap.

Teiji chuckle at Rins statement as he steps closer to her with his hands behind his back. He stood only feet's away from her left as he looks at the morning sky as the sun raises. 

Rin was still on her knees from combing her hair, with the wind playing with her long black strands as she observes him from the corner of her eye.

"Never have I heard a woman saying that before." 

Teiji say to her. He was using his courting phrase's, but for Rin who has not been courted by a human man before, didn't know of what he was going at.

"Well, may this be your first then." 

She said as she got up from her kneeling position and took a few steps back into the house. Teiji held her by her arm and she slowly turns her head to face him. 

He was looking deep into her eyes, which she notice immediately and cast her gaze away from him and pulls away.

"Gomen…" he say to her.

"What do you want?" Rin ask him.

"It's a beautiful morning, it'll be sad if a man in a high class such as I, don't have a beautiful maid such as yourself ' to keep me company".

*Ever tired a whore house?* she thought to herself.

"You look upon me so low. But even if you are at a high class, I can tell you that I'm not a ordinary girl for you to play around and to flirt with. I'm not a doll for anyone to fool. 

"My apology if I have disrespected you, but I was raise by the wilds and know not how to chat with men. And you yourself have said that you are in a very' high class, it'll be a shame for you to even take a glance towards my way if I was in a crowd." 

She snap back at him. There was a silence between the two and then Teiji gave a chuckle.

"Yes it is true that I rank in a high class. But I won't forget who I truly am and what class my family is in. I myself have come from a lower class family, and will never forget that. 

"But it seems that you have forgotten what gender you were born under. You are telling me that in all your life, you won't and will not give the chance to chat with boys, am I right?"

Rin really did not know how to answer to this. Yes, it was true that she was raise in a different way and haven't been courted by a human man. 

For youkai males, it was quite different when it comes to courting; they would come into heat and say seductive words that sickens her to her very nerves; and for human males, they say words that makes the hair on her body stands and sends Goosebumps all over her arms and legs.

Rin inhale deeply and did what she can to reply his words. She had learn little by pasting by villages and seeing girls and boys chatting. 

The boy would say a riddle and the girl will always reply to him by another; and then the situation goes on until she finally gives him a straight answer.

"It is not that I have forgotten what gender I am. But for a blossom to bloom at the very bottom of a tree, it's hard for her to learn how of overt herself to the sun and to bee's that are looking for honey."( ~__#)

Rin reply the best as she can and closes her eyes at her words. *Yuck, yuck… yuck.* she scold herself for the words she choose to say to him.

*She's quite bright. I was wrong when I thought that she was raise improperly* Teiji thought to himself as he gave her his reply.

"Although this blossom grows at the bottom of the tree, how can any bee not notice when it is so pure of honey and so white and clean from it's purity?"

With that, Rin felt herself grew small like an ant and wish that she never had come out here to even met up with him. Chills went up her spine and found herself so uncomfortable with his words. This conversation was worse than all the seductive talks with all the youkai males combined. 

"I suppose all the blossoms on the tree have fallen off for a bee to keep buzzing around the one at the bottom." She answer him back. (O___o)

"I know a bee who will keep buzzing until that blossom blooms."

"Will, then let that bee buzz. Let's see how long the bee will keep buzzing. It'll probably die before the blossom blooms, who knows." She shrugs.

With that said, she took a few steps away from him and heads back inside. She then hears him laughing at her from behind and turns around to stare at him.

"Why are you laughing?" Rin ask Teiji with clenched up eyebrows.

"I was quite wrong about you Rin. You have more skills of being a woman than any of the ones I've met." He say to her with glittering eyes.

"ahnou… arigatou" she said, bowing her head once.

By now, the sun was fully raise and the morning winds was once again playing with Rin's long black hair. The sky was clear, birds chirping in their nests', and Rin was here with Teiji, listening to his bone chilling words.

"I must say, that this morning was a delight to me, for I have a beautiful maid to keep me company. But I don't know if it's going to rain or be sunny tomorrow for you to have me for your company this' morning."

He say to her with his arms cross gazing up at the clear sky. Rin felt herself turn red from all of his courtship'. Rin heads back inside for one last time, but was stop once again by the romantic Teiji who looks like her long ago brother.

"What do you think?"

"I'm pretty sure it's going to be a regular day tomorrow, the seasons for the rains has just past and won't come again anytime soon. 

"No matter how much I wanted it to rain, so that it'll blow away the little blossom at the bottom of the blossom tree, the rain won't come for another four-five moons."

"But to yourself and in your heart you do wish for the rain to come. So tell me, is the rain going to kill the bee that buzz's for the blossom to open, or is the rain and wind going to blow away the little blossom?"

*Yes, I wish that the rain will blow the blossom away because it can not stand the bee's buzzing, and the blossom will rather die from it!* 

Rin had thought of saying, but then changes her mind when she remember to say more famine things and be more of pride about her own gender.

Rin walked up to where Teiji was standing and faced him.

"I wish that the wind will kill the bee, for he is annoying the flower with all of his buzzing." Rin say to Teiji and then takes a few steps towards the entrance.

**__**

"If you wish for the bee to die, then why is the blossom being blown away?" He stated. Rin had just notice that with that, he was the one to go away. But why was she the one who was leaving?

*BAKA!!!* Rin scold herself. Teiji walked up to Rin and bow deeply to her with a smile on his handsome face.

"It seems that you have lost the battle. You are of a old stone maiden. And wooing your heart will be quite challenging." he say to her still smiling.

"I won't lose next time." She said, and then slaps herself across her face in her mind of what she had just promised him.

"Yes, we'll see about next time. But here's one not to you my wild flower, that women will always lose."

With that said, he finally left her alone on the patio. Rin watches him as he disappears into the house.

"I won't lose next time… I promise." Rin said to herself and follows him inside.

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Alright people, here's chapter 7 to Love Me For Who I Am ok… well so sorry for the long long wait ok… well here's a couple of notes: I put this chapter in so that you'll all see how awful how my culture is.

Well it really isn't all that horrible, but then when it comes to courting and shit, you'll have to be like really really smart, and just make sure that you won't lose to your partner. 

If you lose, you'll have to give something that belongs to you that him/her. This is just an example of how it works with my culture, if you guys want to know more about my culture, email me and all tell you guys more if you want to…

And gosh, the Goosebumps!!! Argh @___@ it's like so …… argh!!! Gives you the chills I swear!!! 

Well hope you guys all enjoyed the chapter, and if there's any questions, email me or review to me ok….

**__**


	8. The Riddle

***** hello there people….. Ohhhh please don't hate me…. I've been through so many things nowadays!!! I've been so busy!!! And plus I must enter a pageant because right now, I need money like so so so so darn BAD!!!! Well not that bad, but this is my senior year and I don't know how to drive and don't have a job….

My parents don't trust me cuz of course I'mma girl… and I really really want to learn how to drive but I can't even drive a bumper car!!! V__V (sniff…sniff…)* and so I can only find peace by daydreaming and about my "so not going to come true" dreams…. You know, fantasies and all that crap that girls think about everyday….

Well so just don't hate me ok… you guys are like so lucky that things didn't turn out how I said it was going to… you know, that I can't post up my stories until this year is over??? Well yeah, you guys better thank my luck…. Well anywise don't forget to read and review to me ok…

Well so now onto the story…. Chapter 8 *****

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Ch.8 - Riddle 

After the bone chilling chat with Teiji, Rin went back inside to put on her better kimono. She open the slide door to enter the bedroom to find that Sakura and Hanna has already awaken and were no longer in the bedroom… their white kimono's that was worn to bed was neatly folded on top of the chest and Rin's new red kimono was set out for her, along with her yellow sash…

Rin dress quickly and put her hair up with a chopstick into a half bun… more likely a sideways French twist with the rest of her long black hair hanging down the left side of her shoulder, down to her chest.

Rin slipped into a pair of shoes that Hanna loan her and head out the slide door to go find Shinji before she leaves early again. Rin walked down the hallway and past the scroll room. 

The house was much bigger from the inside than the outside and walking past the scroll room, she had to skip two more chambers until she finally reached the library. Rin knocked on the door before entering to make sure that she wasn't disturbing Shinji. 

"Come in" Shinji called from inside. 

Rin open the door to see that the room wasn't just a library, but of also a room that was full of medicines, herbs, and tea. Each of the different plants were stack nicely on top of each other and there were cabinets and drawls for each of the labels. 

A tea table was at the center of the room with a teapot and some teacups on top of the table. Six sitting mats surrounds the tea table and at the far corner of the room to the entrances left, there was a mat for a sick person to lay on.

"Rin, what a surprise! Is there something that you want?" Shinji ask Rin, looking up from her sitting spot still mixing some herbs together.

"Aunt Shinji, there is something very important I must ask you." Rin said nervously, picking at her own nails.

"Come and sit down my dear" Shinji insisted.

Rin walked up to the table and sat down on her knees across from Shinji. Shinji picked up the teapot and pour the tea into two small cups. She then hands over a cup to Rin. Rin excepted the tea with both hands and a grin, then took a sip from the cup and set it down in front of her.

"Aunt Shinji, you know very well that I have not come here because I have saved Sakura-sans life, and that I would have never rested here under the same roof with you if I was not injured and due to my headache. I may be leaving very soon when the heat inside of my body cools down. I would like to thank you very much for taking great care of me, and I won't forget that. You're like a mother to me and I will always remember you to the day I die."

"What are you getting to my dear? If you want something, feel free to say it."

"I believe that you have heard of the sword tenseiga. Everyone else has, even the poorest family in the land has heard of the twin swords that was made from a demon lords fang; Tetsusaiga and tenseiga. What I am asking from you is nothing but where to find tenseiga, the sword that can heal. I have met the former lord of the west lands half breed son Inuyasha. I must find his full blooded demon brother so I can ask for the sword."

"Rin, you know that the lord who inherited tenseiga is a very dangerous youkai. He has killed many innocent people; he is nothing but a cold hearted youkai. He even despites his own father for mating to a human, and tries to kill his half brother whenever he gets the chance to."

Rin's focus was on Shinji's words. The elder woman speaks of this in a very concerning way, more like a mother that's trying to get her child to understand the meaning of life. Of course, with Rin's decision, it is between life and death. 

But a determine woman such as Rin, would put all her determination to what she believes in and accomplished her goal.

"I must know how to find the sword auntie. Thank you for your concern, but finding the sword is my destination."

"Tell me Rin, what is it that you need to find this sword? Why are you putting your own life in danger… and how are you going to get this sword? Even if I tell you how to find it?…. That is if I know how you can find it." Shinji finished.

"Well, now that you've asked, I will might as well tell you… Aunty, you must know that I have come from a village near the west lands myself… I am an orphan, my family died when I was still just a child. I have no one else but my master, and I will put myself into danger if it means this sword. She was the only one who has ever cared about me. It was so hard for her because she don't know much about humans and most importantly, she does not speak the same language when I first met her."

After Rin had finish this sentence, Shinji stared at Rin with wide eyes and had her lips parted. Shinji was shocked to hear that Rin was raise by a youkai.

"Har…har…hard for her to understand about humans? And … an…. And cannot speak Japanese?" Shinji had said putting a hand to her parted lips. Rin closed her eyes and gave a nod. "What language did she speak?"

"She is from the Western lands of China, and it is Chinese that she speaks."

"Oh goodness!" Shinji said in shock.

"What does she intend to do with the sword?" Shinji was now leaning on the tea table with wide eyes, like a child that's seeing fire for the first time in its life.

"She don't intend to keep the sword. She only wants to use its powers to heal the Sacred Tree of the west. But the difficult part is that, the sword will be away for a year or so… I don't know if the lord himself will allow that…."

Shinji settle back down on the sitting mat and gave a sigh.

"So what makes you think that I can help you? And what brings you here to the Northern Lands? It is true that I've heard of the sword tenseiga and of its powers, but I don't know where the owner of the sword is."

"That is true, you don't know where he is, but I do know one thing that you can tell me."

"What would that be?"

"You can give me the directions to the Lord of the Northern Lands of the Black Dog Clan. His half breed brother tells me that he is now running some business here in the North lands, that's why I've come here to seek the tenseiga." 

After what Rin had told Shinji, she closes her eyes and shook her head quietly. Shinji could not believe this samurai woman who was sitting in front of her. 

Was she crazy? Or was she just a little bit too curious because her family died when she was still young and had live a life of long journeys and adventures?

"Rin, I do not know where the Youkai Lord of the Black Dog Clan lives. Yes, you have come to the North Lands, but a Youkai Lord such as the Black Dog, will stay hidden in its darkness…" Shinji said this to Rin while standing up and walking over to a stack ok herbs. "Do you understand what I am trying to say my dear?"

There was a long silence between Rin and the elder woman. Shinji looks over to where Rin was still sitting. The elder woman study Rins' features; her real age will remain unnoticeable, due to her beautiful pale skin and pink lips. 

Her long black shiny hair, chocolate brown eyes and thick lashes gave her a sad look. Shinji inhale a deep breath and let out a sigh. Rin stares up at Shinji and then cast her gaze on the teacup that was in front of her.

There was absolutely no hope for Rin to get the tenseiga. Not only because she was a girl, but also because of the beauty and nature that lies within her soul that will always get laugh at when she tells her determinable story of borrowing the sword from a Great Lord.

What Rin feels on the inside will never matter to people; people won't believe her because of her outside. Youkai's who knew of her real identity didn't believe her, and now that she was with humans, surely they won't believe her.

"Rin-chan," Rin look up to where Shinji was standing. Shinji had on a concerning look mix with relief, sadness, and hope. Shinji smile at the girl and she smiled back. The elder woman's smile warmed Rin's heart.

"Yes aunty, I understand." Rin finally said. There has never been anyone who would care so much for Rin besides her master. Rin has only stay with the family for no more than two, three days, and now the whole family loved her like she was a part of them.

Sometimes Rin wished that she had a family of her own, and wonder how it would be like just being an ordinary girl. But with the destiny that stands before her, there was no chance for her to find true love, to find happiness and hope.

"Water runs down and deep, but the river itself flows in reverse. Here, under the roof of a seashell is where the sun will set, but there, where the rook is form is where the sun will raise. 1 mile away, will you not trip, not fall, slip on slime? Will you see gold bounding upon you eyes on time? Will the calm dragon shine and show you the way?"

Rin narrowed her eyebrows at Shinji's riddle. What is she talking about and what does she mean by 'water runs down and deep'? If she figures out the first part of the riddle, she will certainly get the rest. But what does it mean?

Rin thought about this for a moment and then look up to Shinji. Shinji smiled down at the girl, and she smiled back in hope. Rin's eyes glittered with happiness and stood up. The riddle Shinji had just said is the way to the Lord of the Black Dog Clan.

"Arigatou aunt Shinji. Arigatou" Rin said to Shinji hugging her.

"You are a determine girl and have a pure soul. Now you know that I cannot tell you or show you the way because I do not know the way. The riddle is all I can give you Rin-san. You must figure it out yourself."

"Yes aunty, I already know." Rin said hopefully holding onto Shinji's hands tightly. "I must follow the river in reverse." Rin finish.

Now there was hope for Rin and her master, and the Sacred Tree. All she needs to do now is to follow the river; she knows this much of the riddle, she still needs to figure out the rest of it.

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*****ok people, well here it is, I just hope that all you guys like this chapter…. I was going to write more but I thought that I'll just call this chapter "Riddle"… cuz I really don't know what to call this chapter if I wrote more.

Well if you guys don't get the riddle, then wait for later chapters to find out what it means ok… or maybe if you email me, I'll just tell you ^___^ hhehehhehe dang!!! took me a while to get down that riddle…

Well this is all I have to say, so ja ne ok…

Oh and remember to read and review… ok…. ^___^


	9. Youkai Scent

Hey there people, (sigh) FINIALLY!!! The long long wait… well I'm so sorry to have you guys wait like that… I was so busy, you know, with all the Christmas shopping, dance competition at the new years, and of course, I was in the Internationals Beauty Pageant ^__^. I was 4th runner up… not bad… I think, I knew I could have done better. But I guess I didn't really wanted to win… believe me, I didn't…

There was so many problems backstage, I did not want to win anymore, and plus, writing stories is my happiness ^__^. Not some SHIT on pageants where people cheats and all… well if you guys want me to TELL you the details about what happen at the Internationals Pageants, email me and I'll be happy to tell… gosh, they sure made history. T__T

Ok so here are a couple of notes regarding the story… I know I have lots, of errors and grammars and all… I'll try to change it when I can, or have time to do so ok… cuz rite now, I'm still tired from the winter break and I'm trying to find new songs to make up dance routines for my dancers. So give me a break…

This is my senior year, and I'm trying my best to do real good in school too… and plus, I'm taking a collage class and also taking Drivers Aid to try to get my drivers license. Plus, I'm applying for a job at Gottschalks. I'm an ROP student there so I think it's easier to apply. In other words, you have a better chance to get hire. 

Well back to the story about the notes, hummm… so did any of you guessed the riddle yet??? It's quite hard huh??? I read it over and I didn't quite get it, I didn't know what the hell I was writing about at the moment. Well see the riddle started out like this…

*** **_"Water runs down and deep, but the river itself flows in reverse. Here, under the roof of a seashell is where the sun will set, but there, where the rook is form is where the sun will raise. 1 mile away, will you not trip, not fall, slip on slime? Will you see gold bounding upon your eyes on time? Will the calm dragon shine and show you the way?" _*****

Ok, so lets start with the first sentence, I'm just going to give it to you guys so that you guys won't get confuse. I know that later on, at some point, you guys will so…. Here it is…

***_water runs down and deep, but the river itself flows in reverse_**.* 

Ok, so it means that Rin will have to follow the river up to where it's coming from… _you following me??? GOOD…_

***_Here, under the roof of a seashell is where the sun will set, but there, where the rock is form is where the sun will raise._***

OK, so when Shinji is saying this, she's referring to her house as the seashell. On the side of where she lives, is where the sun is going to set. _Get it??? _

And then it goes to, ***_But there, where the rock is form is where the sun will raise_**.*

Ok, so this part means that the _"Great Big Rock"_, which is the palace of the _Black Dog_, the sun raises there. _You know, where the sun comes up and all??? _

**__**

*1 mile away, will you not trip, not fall slip on slim?*

Alright, so back then, when the elders say something about "_1 mile" _or "_1 day" _it usually means that it's going to be longer than that. I don't know about Japanese but that's what it means with my culture. So, when Shinji says this verse, it means that 1 mile or 2 or 3, (_meaning days!!!)_ whenever she comes to a stop, there will be trouble along the way. So for her to be able to get to her destiny, she must be very careful due to all the troubles that's ahead of her.

****

*Will you see gold bounding upon your eyes on time?*

Now, this part means that she must be early to see the sun raise. _"Gold bounding upon your eyes on time?" _You know, _gold_ as in the sun? and _on time_ as in get up early and watch the sun raise??? Ok, now to the last part…. (sigh)*_*

**__**

*Will the clam dragon shine and show you the way?*

Ok, so this last part talks about a dragon, and big, fat, chunky dragon that will raise from the water and scream at her face where the Black Dogs nest is…. Ha ha… just kidding… no, there is no dragon. The only dragon is Jaken… haha got chu again… no not Jaken. When we talk about a dragon, it refers to a rainbow. So, for Rin to be able to see the dragon (rainbow), she must first come to a fall… a waterfall that stops her from following the river. And she must be there early to see the sun come up, and when the sun is up, the dragon (rainbow) will raise from the water and show her the way….

Alright people, I'm being too nice now… well I guess you guys all probably know where the palace is already huh??? Well you guys can guess on your own now…. I just gave the riddle away… I hope you guys all get it… if you don't then email me and I'll try to explain it to you ok…

Ok so now onto the story…. Or chapter…… whatever… gosh I'm tired…. *SIGH*……..

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Maybe next time… let this be an author's note ok… ^________^

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JUST KIDDING… ok, so now, onto the story… ^______^

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Ch. 9 - Youkai Scent

Later that night, Rin went into Hanna and Sakura's chambers and kneel down before her purple sack. She undo the knot of the sack and took out her youkai clothing and put them on. After she had finish putting on the outfit, she slip on her bracelets and anklets; topping it off with her peasant earrings which hung freely from her earlobe with its tip brushing her shoulders. 

Rin took out the chopstick from her hair, letting her long hair tumble down to her back. Grabbing a comb from Sakura's counter, Rin comb her hair slowly strand by strand. The screen slid open and enter Sakura holding a wooden plate with a teapot and a cup sitting on top of it. 

"What are you doing?" Sakura asks Rin.

"The moon is out tonight." she responded still combing her hair.

"You're dressing up for the full moon tonight?" 

Rin put down the comb and stood up. Sakura stared at Rin with wide eyes observing her strange clothing from head to toe. 

"Why are you wearing that?" Sakura ask Rin again. She then walked up to Rin in a fast paste, and stick her face right in front of Rin's. Rin flinch and Sakura narrow her eyebrows.

"Your eyes…. It's almost… orange" Sakura said still looking straight at Rin's eyes. Rin moved away from the curious girl and picked up her purple shawl.

"You look weird. No, not weird, strange and different. What kind of outfit is it." the girl asked once again.

"This outfit is made from fox skin. It hides my identity so demons won't be able to detect my true self."

"Oh, that's strange, I've never seen anything like it…"

"The outfit is a fashion of the Huns from the mountains of the west of China."

"Then what's with the anklets and the bracelets? And… and feather earrings? And why is there a bell on your right side of the foot but not the other?" Sakura said to Rin narrowing her brows again.

"The bell sends out signals of a youkai's pace. Human and youkai's have different sound making when they walk. If I don't wear the bell, then any youkai nearby will get curious at the steps and there will be trouble." Rin explained to the girl.

"Then why are you wearing only one bell? shouldn't you be wearing two? If you wear one, then you will be a hanyou, you should wear two so you can have the scent of a full youkai." Sakura said with a smile. Rin laugh at Sakura's silly thoughts.

"You're such a silly little girl. I'm already wearing youkai clothing, they can't detect that. And the bell is just to fool them so they won't know it's human steps I'm taking." Rin said to the girl still chucking a bit.

"oh, then I suppose the bracelets are to hide your human fighting skills and fooling the youkai's too right?" Rin nodded with a smile and Sakura smiled back. 

"One more question…"

"What is it?"

"What about the earrings? You don't do anything with your head… or is it for youkai talks?" Sakura gave Rin a big cheesy smile which made Rin laugh even more. 

"well I guess you can say that. I don't do anything with my head. But the truth is that, when a male youkai approaches me, the air around me will startle him, telling him to back off."

"Really?" 

"No, just kidding… it just goes with the outfit, that's all…" Rin finish off.

"Oh, I see… well here's your medication which my mother mix with some tea." Sakura said, holding up the wooden plate to Rin.

"Thank you, but I don't want any tea for right now. I must go out tonight to find some moonlight flowers for my condition."

"Moonlight flowers?" Sakura said, Rin nodded and left the chambers.

__

"What are my earrings for?" Rin ask herself walking out of the room.

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Sesshoumaru walked in the woods alone in the dark. The business with his uncle wasn't very important to him at all. He wanted to leave. All the talking that has taken place and the interruptions of his thoughts from the servants made him miss Jaken… without that green blabbing toad, life in the Northlands was actually boring.

At first, he wanted to run and get away from the green imp, but now that he tells the servants to shut up, they shut up. No options or opinions, no one for him to throw a rock at or throw them into a tree. And all his uncle's important business was about finding him a mate. 

He looked up to the full moon and put his right hand onto his white boa. Sometimes, he actually wonders what his half-breed brother was doing. But tonight, he thought about the human who fought with him. The human who can wield Tokijin, and who can fight better than the wench that is now with the perverted monk Miroku name Sango.

*Humph* he smirk to himself. _"why am I thinking about that human now?" _ he scold himself. 

Sesshoumaru came to a road and walk down to where the cliff of the moonlight flowers was blooming tonight. When he got to the cliff, he observed the full moon. The moonlight flowers were now blooming, and when each of them open to the light of the moon, a shimmer came from the petals giving them a glorious and magical scene. 

Sesshoumaru walked up to a tree and sat down underneath it. He closed his eyes but then opened them again. He can sense other youkais nearby, but with his scent, they shouldn't bother him. Sesshoumaru observed the moon and the flowers that was blooming to the light. The beautiful scenery made him feel lonely and only made him wonder more with all the _"what if" _questions. 

His thoughts were put aside when he heard footsteps walking his way. It was a female fox youkai, mixed in with a tiger scent. The female youkai must have been a breed of a fox and a tiger. _"what a disgrace" _Sesshoumaru thought to himself. 

**********

Rin was barefooted and each step she took with her right foot, came a "clinging" sound from the silver bell. Rin was holding a basket to her left side to pick the flowers in. She also had Sakura to come along because Shinji wanted to make sure that nothing happens to Rin during their hike. 

"When are we going to get there? It seems like hours since we left my house…" Sakura complained. 

"I already told you, the flowers only grow on open areas where they can receive light from the moon. There are too many trees in your village, there won't be any growing there. And I told you not to come." Rin said to the girl.

"Gomen Rin-chan. I didn't thought that it'll be this hard to find the flowers."

"We haven't come a long way, it only seemed to be long because it's up hill. We must hurry." with that said, Rin pace herself and Sakura sigh from the walking. 

"Wait for me Rin-chan!" Sakura called from behind. Rin turn back around to Sakura and covered her mouth. 

"Shhhh…. Don't yell, there are many youkais nearby and they'll hear you. You don't want us to get caught by them do you?…" Rin said to the girl. 

"Gomen." 

Rin let go of the girl and started walking again with Sakura next to her. Rin observe the moon as it came into full view when they walked pass the trees. The moon was big and round with darker spots on it.

"Whoaaaaaa… I've never seen the moon so big Rin-chan." Sakura said in a very childish tone with wide eyes and her mouth half open. Rin stop to look at the moon and then turn to see the moonlight flowers blooming on verdant grasses close to a cliff.

"The flowers, it's blooming…" Rin said as she walks to the spot. Rin picked one and held it up to her nose and took in the smell closing her eyes. 

"They're beautiful!" exclaimed Sakura. 

"Yes, they are indeed." 

"What are you planning to do with it?" 

"It's great uses for medication." Rin stated.

**********

Sesshoumaru observed the two as they picked the flowers and then thought to himself: _"why does she have a human girl with her? Surely she isn't a hanyou…" _just then, spider scents were now everywhere nearby. There was a least ten or fifth teen of them. _"Humph, lets see how this fox youkai can protect that human girl." _Sesshoumaru smirk to himself, knowing that the spider demons were going to attack the fox youkai and the human girl. 

"Is this enough?" Sakura ask Rin. 

"Yes, I think this will be enough." Rin responded.

Just as the two stood up to leave, spider web came from behind Rin and knocked her over the cliff.

"RIN-CHAN!!!!!" Sakura yelled after her. Another one was shot out towards Sakura's back and this time, it swings her into the air dropping her to the ground. 

Youkai spiders crawled out from the trees laughing at the game they were playing. They had a small egg like body with eight long legs, and their heads were of human. Each of their fangs possess a black spot which shoots out poison. 

"ohhhh… you sure look tasty!" said one of them as it built it own web. "Your mine!!!!!" it said to Sakura as it shot out another string of web towards the girl. Just as the web was about the hit her, Rin came back from the falling cliff and grabbed the girl out the way. 

"what's this?" the spider called out. "But… you fell off the cliff…" 

"Not exactly…" Rin said coldly at the spiders before her. 

"Rin-chan your not dead!!!" Sakura said happily

"We'll make sure you die this time!" one of the spiders call out to them. 

Rin swings her shawl wrapping the spider's head and ripping it off in youkai motion. She fought her way through the spiders with her shawl swinging behind her back, griping onto it from left to right, from top to bottom. Slashing the spiders with her shawl and ripping the heads off from the body.

Rin fought the youkais sending out demon signals from the bell on her right foot. There was demon blood oh trees and pools of blood where the lifeless demon corpse lay. There was now only three youkais remaining and Rin can sense their fear. 

The three youkais were much younger, coming out tonight to observed the elder youkai's attack. They scooted back as Rin turn around to face them when she finished off her last opponent. 

"I'm going to give you to the count of three to get out of my sight!" Rin called out the three younger youkai.

"1...2...3!!!!" after the counts, she swings her purple shawl one last time towards the three youkais. They send out their spider webs and left the two girls.

"Rin-chan, are you alright?" Sakura asks Rin walking up the her.

"I'll be fine." Rin told the girl, and then she walks up to the flower of basket and picked it up. She turn around telling the girl to follow. Sakura runs up to Rin and took quick glances of the dead spiders. Rin observe the moon and the flowers one last time and then turn back to the young girl.

"Let's go Sakura" Rin said to the girl. The two of them started their path down to where they came with Rin's bell jingling from the steps of her right foot. 

"Now wasn't that a wonderful scene, watching me fight the spider demons with it's youkai blood and youkai scent interrupting your view of the moon my lord?" Rin called out to Sesshoumaru; and then stops and turns back to where he might be. 

Rin remember seeing someone in white sitting underneath a tree while she fought the demons. If she was correct, it was the same youkai who was watching her bathe down by the stream. She meant the question to be rude as a payback when he stalked her a few days earlier.

"Huh?" Sakura wonder who Rin was talking to. And then she sees a demon in white stood up from behind the trees. Sakura scooted behind Rin with her head peeking out from Rin's left shoulder.

Sesshoumaru stood up from his sitting spot and stare at the two. _"should I fight with this youkai wench?" _ he ask himself. _"no"._

"This Lord shall remember your scent and shall not forget your rudeness. Let this be a lesson to me. You're wasting my time." With that said, the Lord left the two and walked deep into the woods.

"Pervert…." Rin mumbled. Sesshoumaru's eyes popped back to the Fox youkai but kept walking until he was out of the two girl's view.

"who was that?" Sakura ask Rin as she watches the Lord disappears into the woods.

"He's just some perverted youkai." Rin said as she started down the path once again along with Sakura.

************************************************************************

Ok…. There you have it… chapter 9... Hehhehehhe sorry for all the jokes… hope you guys will like this chapter… I was going to update it yesterday, but my brother rented some movies and so, I stood up to watch it…

Yeah, and I know… I'm such a pain… Sesshoumaru don't do much since he first came into the story…. But he will… I can promise you that he will… you guys know what, I think Sessy gets very interested in things… I mean if it interests him, he will watch and listen…

You know, like that time with Naraku and that other episode where Kagome took the sword from the stone… I think he's a pretty curious guy…. Hehhehehe and with Rin where they first met… I thought that was pretty cute… 

The reason why I think he asks Rin where she got all the burses in that one episode is because he was beat up too ^__^ (Sorry I don't know what episode it is, I just what the show….) Hehhehehhahehaehhahehaheh ^_______^…. And if you watch him pretty close, he don't know much either… to me honestly, I think he's like one of the most curious characters in the show, almost as curious as a kid…. Well that's what makes him cute!!!

Well just read and review to me ok…. ^___^ 

****


	10. Moonlight Lovers

***** hey there people, I hope I didn't have you guys waited for too long… well about last weekend, I didn't want to update cause, you know, it was me… and well I'm lazy…. Hehhehhhe…. Naw, just kidding… I had to go get my body measured and get my dress done before the wedding…. And no, I'm not getting married, but I'm maid of honor… so I have to get the dress done… the wedding is not until March, but you know, the bride has to get all these things ready and stuff… ^___^

***** oh, and for those of you who thought I really didn't update in chapter 9, go down further and the story will be there wait'in for ya…. Hehhehehe…. Well I hope you guys like this next chapter…. I don't think I'll be writing a romance chapter yet until the next two chapters… but hey, who knows what will happen…… wait… no wait, this next chapter is a romance chapter, but it's not going to be Rin and Sessy though…. Sorry… forgive me ok…

***** but I will promise you, that the romance I put between these two (Rin/Sessy) will be worth the wait ok… I had to do some cute, romantic, nice, etc… thinking before I put up the romantic chapter ^___^… 

***** well, now onto the story…

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**__**

*Ch.10* - Moonlight Lovers

That night when Rin and Sakura had gotten home, Rin took the basket of flowers into the library and made some tea out of it. The tea was to heal and clam down the heat that still remains in her body and to bring back her true agility of fighting skills. After everyone in the house had ate, she gave each and everyone a cup of tea that she had made. The drink was a secret healing process which she learns from her master. 

Using the water that runs down the stream, boiling it into purity and then mixing the water with the pollens of the flowers. She pulls off the petals and top it on the liquid. The drink was soothing from the lips to the soul, adding a twist of sugar cane to the tea. After everyone had had a cup of Rin's tea, they all left for bed. 

That night, Rin stood up and thought about her journey, debating on when she was going to leave. There wasn't much time for her and had made a decision on leaving tomorrow but wasn't quite sure when to start her journey the following day. Rin had thought about this so long that she couldn't sleep.

*_Why is it so hard for me to make a decision now? Is it because that I feel so attach to this family that I just can't leave? This family had brought back so many memories of my past. Especially with Teiji…* _Rin sigh from her thoughts. She had knew that she must have stayed up for more than three hours. By now, the moon was shinning brightly in the dark sky as the moon rays beams through a crack in the wall. Rin observe the light and stare at it. At that sudden, she felt the floor creek as someone was getting up from the covers that was across from her.

She observe the dark figure as it left the chambers and slide the slide behind her. Then, she heard the front door open as foot steps ran towards the woods. Rin got up from her laying position and looked at the person who was lying down next to her. Sakura was still asleep and Hanna was gone from her sleeping mat.

*Hanna? Where could she be going at this hour?* Rin thought. She then lie back down and waited to see if Hanna comes back. Ten minutes had passed by and Rin was starting to get worried. Rin tosses and turns as the minutes went by, and then finally made a decision of following Hanna. Rin carefully got up from her sleeping mat as not to wake up Sakura and toss on her youkai clothes. 

Rin then follows Hanna out to the front door and did her best by following her footprints. She followed the footprints to the woods and listen for any youkai that was close by. Nothing. Rin ran through the woods with her bell on her right foot jingling and ringing through the woods. She stop and look upon the moon as the moon rays beams' down on her black hair and onto her skin.

She took a step, and then stops as she hears a hum coming from a distance. She follows the humming and came to a spot that has no trees but a rock at the center of the space. Rin stood behind a tree and pear behind it to see who it was. A girl in a orange kimono sat on top of the rock hums as she picked off a flower close by and held it close to her nose.

*_Hanna_* Rin thought to herself. She was about to run up to the girl that was upon the rock, but was stop when she see's a youkai step out of the woods with his hands behind his back. He looked familiar to her with his white long silver hair and ember eyes. But the crescent moon that was on his temple was shaped upside down and the markings that was on his checks were of a zigzag. 

He wore a royal blue outfit, quite similar to the youkai she met before, but this one had on a red sash. His armor was quite the same as the white lord she had met, but this one had his done in a different fashion with shoulder blades connected to the front of his chest. A sword hung from his left hip and what was different about this one, was that his face showed more emotion. 

*_Must be brothers or something_…* Rin thought as she study's the youkai.

"Gensoumaru!" Hanna called out jumping off the rock and running towards him. Rin stare at the two, guessing that this Gensoumaru is her lover. She embraced him, as if she hasn't seen him for a long time now. He embrace her back taking in her scent. She tilt her head up to look at him in the eye as he places a small kiss on her forehead. 

"I've missed you Gensoumaru-sama" she said to him softly, placing her head back on his chest.

"I apologize Hanna". He say to her in a deep tone.

"For what Gensoumaru?" she ask him as he step away from her. 

"Only once a month in a new moon, I can only see you… I can't even find an excuse to escape the palace walls. I just wish that I was more like my…"

"Shhhh…. As long as your name is not how it is meant to be for me, then I'm happy…" Hanna had come up to Gensoumaru and place her small hand over his lips, not wanting to hear what he has to say. Gensoumaru reached out his right hand and place her soft check against his palm. He pulls her into his embrace and kissed her again on her forehead. Hanna tilted her head more as he brushes off her long hair that was against her neck. He ran his fingers along her neck and kiss the fang marks softly.

"Are there any strange signs lately?" Gensoumaru ask softly with his lips still against her neck.

"What?" She ask him back in curiosity.

"You are with child…" He stated. At that, Hanna stepped away from the youkai and narrowed her eyebrows. 

"What?" Hanna ask in a panic toned voice.

"Hanna, you're not…… happy?" Gensoumaru ask his mate.

"I… I, I'm…. I'm with child?" She ask again in shocked. Gensoumaru only nodded as he see's his mate's body went limp and collapse but he caught her before she hit the ground.

Rin's eyes went wide at the news that she has just witnessed. She took a step back with her right foot, sending out a little ring from the bell. Rin held her hand to her parted lips at the shocking news.

Gensoumaru narrowed his eyebrows at the noises that was coming from the trees not too far away and lay his mate on the grasses and went after it. 

Rin, seeing that he was coming after her, ran through the woods back to where she had first came. She stops when she see's him standing in front of her glaring with cold eyes.

"What do you want?" She ask him.

"I should ask you the same question… What do you want?" he ask her back the same way she had. Rin was still shocked at what she had heard earlier. She swallowed and can feel her hands trembling from the news.

"I can sense that you're afraid. I knew there was a strange scent mingling around the area." He said to her with his cold glare.

"I'm not afraid of you." She says back to him. "I believe that the two of you are star-cross lovers. A strong youkai such as yourself shouldn't be doing this to a human." 

"She's my human." He said coldly back to her.

"Well, what would her family think about this?" She question him causing him to think about the question as his expression changed to a worried one. 

"You're wasting my time." At that, he left her and walked back to where his mate who was still lying on the grasses. Rin stood there which seemed like forever, deep in thoughts of what will happen if Hanna's family had found out. Her family will be dishonor and the villagers will stone her and her family out.

"You're so stupid Hanna-san." Rin managed to utter under her breath.

**********

The next day, Rin woke up late due to her thoughts that ran through her mind the night before. The hour was close to noon, and she was suppose to leave early this morning to continue her journey. She placed out her things to pack and then when she was done, she left the chambers, sliding the slide behind her.

*I have to find Teiji*. She thought to herself. She came out of the house and onto the patio where she had met him the day before. Just as she had expected, Teiji was standing with his arms crossed looking deep into space.

"Teiji?" She called to him. Teiji looked her way dropping his arms to his side.

"Rin, it's good to see you again this morning. What idea have you've come up with to debate with me this time?" He said to her with a smile across his face. "You sure woke up late, was it me who you were dreaming about last night?" he ask with a smirk.

"Don't start with me Teiji. I'm not here to debate or have riddles to tell. I must ask you something Teiji." Rin said to him with an serious expression. He then relax his playfulness smile and replaced it with a serious one. 

"What is it?" 

"Teiji, I will be leaving soon… I'll be leaving today actually. Ummm…. I have to ask you for something."

"You're leaving? Does my mother know that you are?"

"No, I haven't told her yet. But I will."

"Why do you have to leave so soon? Can't you stay for a few more days?"

"Teiji, I know you're not stupid. You know perfectly well why I'm leaving." At that Teiji sighs and looked at Rin in the eye and smile at her.

"Ok Rin. What is it?" He finally say.

***********

Later that day when it was nearly dark, Rin finally met up with Shinji and told her of her departing. Shinji pack her some food for her journey and offer her some clothes. But Rin refuses to take the clothing with her; the only clothes that she'll have is a simple kimono, her youkai clothes and the samurai outfit that she was now wearing which she had ask for from Teiji.

The family stood outside the doorway when she came out of the bedroom wearing the samurai outfit. She had her hair tied up in a long ponytail and she stood tall at the entrance of the door. She looked so much like a man now with her sword hung from her waist and her purple sack across her chest in a bundle behind her back.

She bow to everyone in the family and thanked them for their kindness of taking her in and serving her as a family member of their own. The villagers stares at her for her departure, trying to treasure the image of her beauty and remember it forever.

Shinji shed a singo tear when she said her good-byes to Rin. Rin embrace her and wipe the tear away from Shinji's face. Sakura was also crying; tears ran down her checks freely as she gaze up to Rin.

"Will you promise to come back Rin-san?"

"Yes Sakura, I promise to come back to see you and your family." Rin bow to Sakura and she bows back. She then thank Goro and bow deeply in respect. She move to the next person who was Hanna. Hanna smiled at Rin but Rin didn't smile in return. Rin took Hanna by the hand and walked to a distance so the family won't hear what they were saying.

"Rin-san, what is it?"

"Hanna, promise me that you will take care of yourself and won't dishonor your family no matter what."

"Rin what are you saying?"

The two girls just stare at each other for a long time as Hanna's eyes became watery from what Rin had meant.

"Where were you last night?" Rin finally said to break the silence. 

"You found out about him didn't you?" Hanna said sadly looking away from Rin. "I don't know what else to do."

Rin fake a smile and held her by her shoulders. "Just don't kill yourself Hanna-san. I will come back and try to help you." The two girls embrace. They let go and Rin walked away from Hanna and the family towards the road down to the river.

"Rin!" Teiji called out her name. Rin turns back around and sees' Teiji running up to her. "Aren't you going to say anything to me? You didn't even say farewell."

"Fine, farewell." She said to him turning her back to him and heads towards the road again. Teiji grabbed her shoulders to face him as his family and comrades stares in surprise.

**********

"Shu-jin, what is our son doing?" Shinji whisper to her husband.

"Don't know O-ku-san…" Goro reply to his wife as they watches the scene that was taking place between their son and Rin.

"AW don't worry, he's just doing what we think he should do!!!" one of the warriors said. Everyone watches as Teiji tries to block Rin's way. He pulls on her but she pulls away. He tries to hold her hand but she swings it out of his grasp.

**********

"What do you want damn it!?!?" Rin yell at him forcefully.

"Rin, all I'm asking is for me to come along… there are many danger and I don't want you to get hurt! You are a woman and…"

"And what!?!?" Teiji was cut off with Rin's question. "And what huh? Just because you think that I'm a woman it doesn't mean that I'm weak!" Rin observe him from head to toe as he shrugs his shoulders. 

"Oh, oh… so, so is that what you think? That I'm a woman and woman knows nothing but how to work pots and pans? Well I don't know how to work pots and pan! The only pots I know how to work is popping from high to low from air to ground. And the only pan I can "pong" is the ping' and the pang' and the cling' and the clang' of my sword! Now get away from me!!!" She pushes him aside and walked away from him.

"Rin…" She stops again and turn to him… he had his head tilted to the side and sigh from their fight.

"What Teiji? Don't start with me…" Rin said giving him the same look back. Teiji walked up to Rin and sigh and tilted his head upward facing the sky.

**********

"I bet he'll do what I say and kiss her." Hiten say to Bakotus.

"I bet anything he won't!" Bakotus said back still looking at the two. 

"We'll just see what happens, that Rin doesn't look that good anyways." Jakotus said with his arms cross.

**********

"Rin… I ah…" Rin gave him a bored look and turn to leave but Teiji grab her arm and turn her to face him again. "Rin, if you will… or may, or would… ummm…."

"Don't even say it, the last time a guy asked to bare his child, I send him off baring the tree's branches…" Rin turn to leave Teiji, but he followed her. Rin was becoming very annoyed and started running but Teiji only runs after her and tries to stop her.

"You won't give up won't you Teiji? If you want me to live with you forever like how your mom lives with your father then say it…" Rin said to him angrily. Teiji stared at Rin for a long time observing her pale face and her features. Rin gave a sigh and finally turn to leave for the very last time.

"Yes…. Yes I want you to stay with me…." Rin stops and turns around facing him. "Forever…" He finished. Rin slowly walks back to where Teiji was standing and observes him from head to toe with a calm but soft look.

**********

"See, I told you…. What did I say huh?" Hiten said with a smile across his face and cross's his arms.

"They didn't even kissed!" Bakotus reply back.

"Well, they will soon… just watch!!!"

"Fine, this is a bet then… Jakotus, you're the witness… if Teiji kiss's Rin, then I lose and I'll have to pay him 100 yen. But if I win and Teiji doesn't kiss Rin, then you Hiten, will have to pay me 100 yen."

"Alright!" Jakotus reply "I'm the witness then…"

"Fine with me" Hiten stated… as the three of the turn to look at the scene again.

**********

"Are you sure about that Teiji?" Rin ask him.

"Yes…. Rin, I am." He replied back.

"Are you sure you're man enough for me?"

"Like I said, woman always lose right. One way or another, woman will always lose." He smiles at her and held his hand to her. She looked at his hand and step aside to take off her sack from her back and her sword from her waist. "I knew you'll come around." He said to her while she took down her belongings.

At the moment he had said that, she ran towards him in full speed. Teiji looked varied as Rin came to him knocking him to the ground. His family, comrades and the villagers stares in awed as the scene takes place.

"Woman don't always lose…" Rin stated. Teiji stares up at her with a bleeding lip. He wipe the blood off with the back of his sleeve and got off the ground. He turn to look at the people who were staring; everyone had their mouths parted and theirs eyes wide from the scene that had just taken place.

"Why'd you do that?" He ask her embarrassedly.

"Humph, I thought you said you were man enough for me?" She smirk at him. Her face went from a smirk to stone and had her left leg out and her hands fisted in a fighting position. "I can promise you, that if you win this fight, I'll stay with you forever… I'll go easy on you…"

**********

"See! See, didn't I tell you… look at that, I told you he wouldn't dare to kiss Rin-chan." Bakotus said in satisfactory.

"She doesn't look so tough!" Jakotus said with half of his lip upward. Hiten just stares in amazement.

**********

"Rin, we…" Teiji was cut off with another blow. Rin came dashing onto him again but he moved out of the way. He tries to dodge some of her fist attacks but didn't quite seem to be in luck to move out of the way in time. Rin's moves were quick, her kicks were fast and her punches were smooth. She moves her fist forward as Teiji moved his head away from it, but then she expands her hand and gave him a quick slap on the side of his check. 

Teiji took a few steps backwards and stares at her and put a hand to his check. He fisted his hands and went for a punch, but she spun just inches from his chest and reached the end of his sash and slipped it away from his waist. Rin held out his sash with a smirk while he looked down and held onto his pants before fell to the ground.

"Give that back!" Teiji demanded.

"Come and get big tough man…" Rin said in a scornful way holding up his sash. Teiji narrowed his eyebrows and let his pants drop to the ground and took off his haori. He was wearing nothing but his white underwear. (a/n: it a thong ^_* "wink*").

**********

All the mothers of the village cover their daughters face's not letting them see what was going to happen next. The ladies who were in the front row were neither laughing and giggling or screaming from the likes of his body. The younger ones cover their eyes and the men's crowded in as the fight takes place.

"OH… OH… OH, will you look at that! It's more than just a kiss now. Jakotus, raise that up to 200 yen!!!" Hiten betted more as he stares in wide eyes.

"Shut-up!" Bakotus elbow Hiten on his side.

"I'm winning the bet I tell ya… I am winning the bet!!! C'on, daddy needs a new pair of thongs… hehhehee" Hiten trails off.

"Wow! She's going to be aggressive in bed…" Lord Akuma said as Shinji eye him as a mean of saying how rude he was being.

**********

Teiji went forward but Rin just dashes off into the air and whoop's him on his butt with his sash. She strikes the ground and dances with the sash giving Teiji some cuts and burses. The fight had went on until the sun was almost set. By then, Teiji had finally had had enough. He made his best move and held onto the other end of the sash when Rin swung towards him again. He wrap himself with his sash and pulls her into his embrace. Rin tries to wiggle free and send both of them crashing to the ground, but he held onto her tightly. 

"Okay, that's enough Lady Rin…" He said to her softly and then finally lets her go. "You have won, we'll end the fight here." He finished.

"You still think woman are weak?" She said standing up and straightening out her clothes.

"Not you Lady Rin…" He said to her. She bow to him and left to get her belongings. She put the sword back on her left hip and her sack behind her back. She turned around once again and bow deeply to the crowd and left, leaving Teiji in his underwear staring at her back.

**********

"HA! I win, they were just fighting… 200 yens, "I" need a new pair of thongs!" Bakotus demanded for the money as Jakotus nods, telling Hiten to pay up. 

"I'll have to admit, that girl has some skills…" Lord Akuma said. Everyone around them nods in agreement. 

"That was weak, I've seen her do better!" Sakura said from her mother's side.

Teiji quickly turns around and runs towards his family where Sakura was. The crowd moves away as he runs to Sakura.

"Sakura, what did you say?"

"I said I've seen her fight better than that." She said again smiling.

"What else does she do?" Teiji ask his little sister.

"Well she can fly, and…. She can use this really really strange power of hers. And… umm… her sword, she can control her sword and… umm a lot of other stuffs… The technique that she uses to fight with you, was only a tease." She said sending out a cheesy smile. Teiji looked back to the woman who was now gone down the road.

*_I'll practice more and will fight you again next time Rin, if what Sakura say is ture. Woman will always lose, one way or another_.* Teiji thought to himself.

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***** ok people, I hope that you guys liked this scene… heheehehe…. I hope that it was good. I worked on it for the longest time… I think this has got to be one of my longest chapters…

***** oh and about Jakotus, Hiten, and Bakotus… I put them in the story because I was running out of characters. I think I'll be putting more characters into the story as I go, but for right now, I'm not quite sure yet…

***** oh and did you guys like the bet??? Hehhehehe, I didn't want to put that in, but I have little girls here and they minds of their own… they're all telling me to put in this and that, they make it sound all CHEESY and all…. Hehehehhe so I guess they kinda helped me out here…

Well here are a couple of notes: 

*Shu-jin - refers to husband

*O-ku-san - refers to wife… ^__^

Oh, and I didn't now what they call those thongs in Japanese so I just call it thong* ^__^

*yes, and about that romance scene… well you guys have already kinda guessed what kind of person I am… I'm not into lemon* stuff and when it comes to romance, I don't want it to sound too cocky and corny… I don't want a lot of passion going on, I just want things to be soft and slow… 

***oh and the name Gensoumaru? Well Gensou means - *Illusion* so it's like calling him Illusion something… and I thin "maru" means circle… his name is called "circle of Illusion" I guess… *_* dunno….

*****the kind of romance I'm more into is a kiss on the check, a peck on the lips or the neck. A long embrace or a hug… umm… head on the chest, taking in the scent of a chicks hair… you know that kind of stuff… please don't be mad at me… 

*****to be honest, I can't describe a kiss cause I've really never been kissed… yep, my kiss is still a virgin alrite… m(. .)m 

So don't look at me all strange…. Gosh, why am I telling you guys this, it's a culture thing!!!

Well read and review ok… ^___^


	11. The Plan

hey people… sorry for the long long long wait ok…. I couldn't update my stories becuz I didn't have internet for like a while now… and oh, I posted a new story so I hope that you guys read that as well… I'm like, trying my best here just to update everything…

well I guess that probably from now on, my chapters will have to be kinda short or something… I'll try to make it long, but if it's short, then please forgive me…. m(. .)m… well so now, onto the story ok…

****

**_Ch. 11 – The Plan_**

It had been days since Rin left Sakura and her family. By now, the stars were once again high in the skies and the moon had disappear for a few nights now. Rin had only stop a couple of times to eat the small bundle of food that Shinji had prepared for her and for resting only.

She was now doing the first part of the riddle by following up the River to where it was flowing from. She never knew that following up the River would be so dangerous. Just on the day that she left, a demon attacked her. And she haven't stop to kill in a single night ever since. Now that it's dark again, she'll have to find another place for her to rest.

Rin stop and bent down next to the river to get a drink of water. She cupped her hand into the cold water and took a drink out of her palm. She was about to continue but was stop at the rustling sounds that she heard not too far away. She got up from her spot and held onto her sword just incase there was any attack that was going to come to her.

The sound stop and she let go of the handle of the sword. She listens for any more signs but there was nothing. Just as she was about to continue for another drink, the sound came back and this time, she draws out her sword holding it tightly just inches in front of her.

The rustling sounds went from one side of the forest to the other. She turns and looks around her but there was nothing. Rin ran to follow the sound that was coming from the trees. She stop again to listen, now, the rustling sound wasn't far away.

Once again, she ran after it holding her sword with her right hand and having the sword pointing to the ground. Again, the sound stop. Rin started sniffing for whatever that was there. Just then, she heard talking. It was faint but she can hear them. Slowly and carefully, she follow to where the talking was coming from.

Rin came upon a group of brown inu youkais. They were chatting as of what to do with their broken wheel on the small carriage that they had. They all were in their human forms and wore plain clothing as of their rank.

There were three old demons and a young little inu puppy with them. The boy was no more than 7 or 8 years old and wore and blue haori with a pair of green pants. His ears were pointy and his hair was held in a ponytail. He had brown fur covering his wrist and ankles, and wore a necklace of a fang made from leather.

"Taharu…" one of the older ones call to the boy. "Try to go to the closest town that's near and get us a new wheel." He said to the boy.

"But grandpa, I already went to the closest town and they were all scared of me." The little boy whined.

"humm… then how are we going to get to the palace on time for the White Lords ceremony?" the old youkai said to them.

"We can always run there ourselves, but what are we suppose to do about the Lady Naomi?"

"She is the only reason why we're here Katsuo. Lady Naomi's the most important part of the Ceremony." The old youkai told them again.

"Then what are we suppose to do then?" Katsuo ask again, only this time with a little anger.

"Why is the Lady so important Grandpa?" the little boy ask staring up at the old man.

"She is the start off of this Ceremony. Every Dog Clan must show up to the White Lords annual Ceremony. Only once in a hundred years does a Great Lord like himself celebrates the day that he was born. Lady Naomi represents the Brown Dog Clan by starting off with a song. That is why we cannot leave her." The old man finish.

"Wow, have you been to all of his ceremonies grandpa?" the boy asks again.

"Of course I have Taharu. The Great Sesshoumaru of the White Inu Youkai clan is one of the most powerful youkai besides his father. This is only his 5th annual, but his father, the Greatest Inu Lord lived up to 15 ceremonies. And, the celebration only happens once in every one-hundred years." The old man told the little boy.

After hearing Sesshoumaru's name, Rin remember who the owner of the Tenseiga was. And for her to get close enough to the Great Sesshoumaru, was to follow these Inuyoukai's to the palace where they will be celebrating his every 100th year anniversary.

Rin had to figure out a way to follow them and how to do it without them noticing her. But how? She thought this in her mind until the group decide for the little boy to go into town again, only this time, he has to steal a wheel.

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It had been days since the day that Sesshoumaru met with the human girl at the pond, and only days ago when he saw the fox youkai fight with those spiders. And now, there was only 3 days left until the ceremony. When that happens, his uncle is probably going to make him choose his bride at the banquet.

His uncle is now very old and is enjoying what he has left of his youkai life. And when it comes to banquets like these, he would get all excited and be the first one to plan things for it. Like calling for every Inu Youkai Clan to come and have a girl to represent their clan and making a chair that's high enough for Sesshoumaru to sit on so that everyone can see how handsome the bachelor is.

Sometimes he would wonder how life would be like if his mother was still in this world. But his mother died giving birth to him. It may also be the cause that they were under attack by humans.

That's why he despises humans because they took the life of his mother and his father. A knock came to his door and he lost his thoughts at the sudden. Sesshoumaru look at the person that was coming through the door. His cousin walked in followed by Kioko.

"Gensoumaru, how was the wind able to blow you and carry you to my chambers?" Sesshoumaru ask his cousin with his calm face.

"It blew me from the garden to your quarters, then to your hallway and now here I am, in your chambers." He answers back playfully.

"I see that you are as happy as your father with this coming up banquet."

"Perhaps, it's been quite a long time now since we've had a banquet like this."

"This is foolish. I don't even know why I'm here."

"Cheer up cousin, the banquet is only in about 3 days from now… there's no need for you to be so sad and emotionless. At least try to greet the guesses and eat a little." Gensoumaru say to Sesshoumaru.

"This is a waste of time." Sesshoumaru says this as he walks over to the window and stare out into the dark night.

"You haven't change. The last time that my father gave you such a banquet was at least a hundred years ago. And yes, who can forget the wonderful Lord who did nothing but sits on his cushion like a puppy in a cage? You didn't eat one bite of your food and on top of that you disrespected your guests. Rumors went on for quite some decades. Even now the rumors still lingers. And now that it is time for your little ceremony again, every demon in the land is talking about how you would behave this time. I only pray that you can save your face without my father trying to put things back together like last time." Gensoumaru barked at Sesshoumaru.

"I told your father, I didn't need a ceremony." He said still looking out the window.

"Save your barks Sesshoumaru, your mother was the heart of this family. When she die and your father took in a human mate, all my father wanted to do was make it the best for you. I pray for you that this time; try to save my families name along as yours. If you don't want to do it for yourself and let your pride down for once then at least do it for the sake of my Father." Gensoumaru say to Sesshoumaru and then made his way out the door.

Sesshoumaru didn't move from his spot where he was standing and his gaze was still looking out into the darkness.

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Taharu made his way through the forest then onto the road as Rin follow the little boy to town. She watches him as he made his way through the streets and sneak into a cart shop. She waited until the little inu came out with a wheel in his hands.

"Just about the same size." He told himself softly. He was just about to make his way back to the woods when he tripped over a little rock and fell. Just then a man from inside the little house lit a candle and came outside and saw that there was a boy on the ground with one of his wheels.

"Hey! Thief! Thief!" the man scream as the villagers came out to see what all the commotion was. All the villagers surrounded the little inu youkai holding onto a stick as of to meant to hit the youkai.

"What are you doing back here? Didn't we tell you to stay away!" One of the villagers yelled out.

"I'm sorry, but I really do need a wheel… and I was willing to pay…" the little inu said.

"Pay! Hump, forget it… we don't sell anything to demons!"

"No, but you wouldn't mind selling a wheel to a human right…" Rin interrupted them before they did any harm to the young inu.

"And who the heck are you?" said one of the villagers.

"that doesn't matter. I was the one who told this boy to come and get me the wheel. My carriage broke down and I need a replacement for the broken wheel." Rin told the villagers.

"How do we know that you're not a demon?" Said the man who lives in the cart house.

"That's simple. Look, I don't have sharp ears nor fangs. Can't you see the differences between me and the boy?"

All the villagers looked at her and then to the boy. She was right, their resemblance were different. But why would a human be doing with this inu boy?

"Alright, I will sell the wheel to you for 3 times the price that I regularly sell it for."

"What?" Rin ask with narrow eyebrows. "You can't do that."

"I am the one who's selling it. I can do whatever I want." The man said sharply.

"Fine." Rin said in agreement. The puppy got off the ground with the wheel and ran to where Rin was. She threw a bag full of coins to the man and turn to leave.

"Stupid dog…" the man muttered as the little inu ran after his savior.

"Hey, why did you do that for?" he question her. She look at the boy and then back to the village.

"These people have no respect towards anyone do they?" She said still casting her gaze at the village. "Why do you need that wheel?" she question the boy.

"Oh, me, my uncle, my dad, and my grandpa are on our way to take the Lady Naomi to the Palace so she can sing." He told her counting his small little fingers.

"Why is she singing at the Palace?"

"Oh, my mother said that it was the Great White Lords birthday. So, every dog clan has to be there and bring a special person to represent their clan. Lady Naomi is going to be there to start off the ceremony by singing a song." The puppy told her.

"Oh, so what's this Lord's name?"

"His name Lord Sesshoumaru. He's from the west, but since he has no family, the Lord of the North, which is his uncle, wanted to do the 100th year ceremony for him."

"Lord Sesshoumaru? Do you know if he possesses the sword Tenseiga?" Rin ask the little boy, knowing that he'll tell her whatever that he knows.

"Hummm… I'm not sure… but uhhh… I think so…" the little boy smiles at her.

_I wonder if it's worth a try getting there. _Rin thought to herself.

"Well it's getting late; the others might be worry about me… but thanks for helping me. My names Taharu and I'm 8 years old from the Brown Dog Clan. Our clan is not very strong, but we're very proud of it. Can I get your name? although you dress like a boy, I know that you're a girl… I can smell you ya know." He finish sending her another smile and showing off his two little fangs. Rin smile back at the boy.

"My name is Rin Shimizu, and I will always help the ones who needs help."

"You know, I hope that someday I can grow up to be as nice and brave as you are. You're very brave. For a girl I mean." He bow to her and ran off into the forest.

Rin look after the little inu and follow him back to the woods.

It was almost morning when Rin slipped into her youkai clothes. She went to where the repaired carriage was sitting and open the curtain that was covering of what's inside.

A beautiful youkai maiden lie there with her brown hair coy around her face. She had on red eye shadows and her lips were painted red. There was a single zigzag marking on both sides of her check and on her arms.

The carriage was full of kimonos and fabrics that was probably meant to be given to the White Lord as a gift. She made her way into a small trunk that contained only a single, but beautifully designed piece of pick fabric.

She closes the trunk and stayed inside for it was almost dawn. She just hopes that no one will detect her while she was in there. Before she made her decision about sneaking into the carriage, she put on some powder to hide her scent. She just prays that the powder doesn't wear off before they reach the palace. But for now, all she can do is stay where she is, and hopes that she won't be found.

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Ok… here you go… this took me like all day and man, it's so hard…sigh well I hope that you guys will enjoy cuz Rin is about to go to the palace to attend Sesshoumaru's party… wooo hoo hoo… yeah….

Hehheheh well hope that you guys read and review ok… ja-ne…


	12. A Beauty From Afar

Hey there folks… I hope that you guys didn't have to wait too long for my update…. I'm so sorry, but I changed my pen name from milacute04 to Sexy-Sama-San…. Well I just hope that you guys are ok with that and I hope you guys don't have any difficulties finding my story… and if you guys have any question or any sort, please feel free to ask me ok… now, onto the story….

_**CH. 12 – A Beauty from Afar**_

"_Water runs down and deep, but the river itself flows in reverse. Here, under the roof of a seashell is where the sun will set, but there, where the rock is form is where the sun will raise. 1 mile away, will you not trip, not fall, slip on slime? Will you see gold bounding upon your eyes on time? Will the calm dragon shine and show you the way?"_

Rin repeated the riddle in her mind from time and time again, and thanks to her encounter with the inu gang, it made her trip much easier to the castle. Although it was kind of hard to breathe in the small trunk, Rin manage to open the trunk a little for some air when the Lady Naomi wasn't much in cautious, as herself peaks out of the carriage and stare at the view of the North lands. They have been traveling for almost three days now and it was hard to curl up in a ball all day, and only to be able to sneak out during the night for some fresh air and refreshment.

'_Here, under the roof of a seashell is where the sun will set, but there, where the rock is form is where the sun will raise'. _She thought as they came across a high rock mountain where the water was falling from. Now that they have reached the waterfall, all they have to do now was to wait for sun raise. Only then will the sun cast a rainbow and show them the way to the castle of the North.

'_It's probably about 5 o'clock in the morning now.' _Rin thought to herself. She opened the trunk a little to breathe in some fresh air and then close it again. Beneath her was the lovely pick silk saffron fabric. Rin held it up to her chin and brush it along her jaw line. _'Why is this cloth all by itself in this big chest box?' _Rin thought. Her thoughts were interrupted at the voice of the little puppy.

"Yeah… Look papa, the rainbow!" Rin heard the boy cheer.

The sun was now above the mountain casting the rainbow to rise. Rin couldn't help herself but to open the chest and peak out the little window. Luckily, the lady Naomi was not there.

As the sun rose higher, the rainbow seems to stretch longer and towards the north telling the travelers the direction to the castle. _'Will you see gold bounding upon your eyes on time? Will the calm dragon shine and show you the way?' _Rin thought of the last part of the riddle and smile to herself.

"Come on Taharu." His father said to him.

"Are we going to go to the castle right now papa?" Taharu ask with wonderment.

"Yes Taharu. Now, I want you to stay in the carriage with Lady Naomi until we come to the palace, is that understood?" his father said to him calmly.

"Yes father." Taharu said to his father in agreement.

"Naomi my Lady, is that alright with you, for my son to accompany you on the rest of the way to the castle?" the father ask the lady with his head bowing low.

"Of course, not a problem at all Sir Kazuki. He should've been in the carriage with me from the beginning." The lady said. Kazuki grin and then look at his son telling him to stay in the carriage with the Lady Naomi.

Naomi was probably a very young youkai; a girl no older or younger than Hanna herself. Naomi was usually quite when she was in the carriage, perhaps it was because she didn't know these Inu men who is escorting her to the palace of the North very well. But now, she has someone to keep her company, and what was even more shocking is that she has so many secrets to tell; and Rin was there to listen to it all as well as Taharu.

As it turns out, Naomi really is only 15 years old, in youkai years and human years. She was so carefree and tells the child of her friendship with the humans that are not far away from her own home. She told the child of how much she hated being a high rank person because she can't be friends with anyone, she hated being a court lady because she can't be strong like a regular female youkai, she tells of how much she wanted to eat but can't because it's not proper, she tells of how much she hates song and music lessons and so many other things that's she's not even suppose to speak of.

'_No wonder she can't sense my presence, she's not a strong demon at all.' _Rin Thought to herself.

Sesshoumaru look out his window and into the clear morning sky. He thought about his cousins words to him about respecting the guests and finally came to a conclusion about being at present for the entertainers and eat with them. And when that is done, he'll leave for his quarters.

Sesshoumaru can hear the arriving guests and the laughers of women outside the palace. _'Great.'_ He thought with a smirk. As it seems, every time when his uncle throws him a banquet, all the women there seems to be in heat. Were they purposely doing that to catch his attention, or are most of the women there seem to be in heat to keep the company of men? Whatever it is, Sesshoumaru is not going to stay for the banquet for too long so women can seduce him like last time, and he thought that only men can be such horny bastards.

The carriage came to a stop as voices of men and women unloading their Lords and Ladies belongings.

"Are we here?" Taharu ask.

"I think that we are." The girl said as she peaks out the window of the carriage.

Kazuki open the curtains of the carriage and held out his right hand to his little boy. The boy went to his father and Kazuki helped him down from the carriage. He held the curtains open for the Lady Naomi as she set foot on the ground. The boy and Naomi stared at the castle with wonder for it was bigger than what Naomi had expected.

A man came up to them and insisted for them to leave the carriage where it is and follow the man so he can show them where to rest. As they were leaving, Rin open the chest box and climb out of it. She stared at the pink cloth and then closes the box before getting out of the carriage.

Rin quickly made her way to the side of the east wing of the castle and jumped over the castle walls. From there, she can hear the river and made her way to the closest tree to the water. She made a hole and burry her belongings in it along with her sword. But before she did, she made another potion to hide her fox scent and put on the kimono that Shinji prepared for her over her masters youkai dress. After that was taken care of, she made her way back to the walls of the castle and this time, climb over it instead.

People were going in different directions of the castle and Rin was simply trying to look for the Lord Sesshoumaru so they can have their chat and be done with, even though she doesn't even know what he looks like. She reached the ends of a corner and was about to head in the direction where the corner had turned, but a pair of huge doors open and a male servant walked ahead and right behind him was two powerful Inu Youkai.

Rin glance at the two male youkai and immediately recognize them both. One of them, the one in the royal blue outfit, was the one that confronted Rin when she witness Hanna and her lover in the woods, in other words, it is Hanna's lover. The other one, who was dress all in white with a yellow sash tied around his waist, was the perverted eye popping bastard that Rin encountered with at the pond.

'_He can't be Sesshoumaru can he?'_ Rin thought to herself. She tries to steal another glance at them both but everyone around them who seems to be in lower rank bow down deeply onto their hands and knees. Seeing this, she too must obey and bow down to the Lords herself just before they got close enough to her.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the girl whom seems not to be a servant of the palace but probably one of the girls from another clan. He and his cousin was informed to his uncles quarters right away. _'Probably another lecture' _Sesshoumaru thought as they pass the girl in the orange kimono.

After Sesshoumaru and Gensoumaru have pass, everyone rose and went back to whatever that they were doing before. Rin looked towards the direction where the two had went and decided to follow, but was stop by an elder youkai woman.

"Are you lost my lady?" she ask Rin.

"Uh… yes, it seems that I am…" Rin said to the servant as she takes another glance towards the way the two Youkai Lords have went.

"May I escort you to where the others are my Lady?" She said bowing her head.

"May I ask you who the two Lords are?" Rin ask looking down the path once more.

"The one in the Royal Blue is Lord Gensoumaru, the son of the Great Lord of the North, and to his left is The Great Lord Sessoumaru of the West. He is the nephew of the Great Lord, and tonight, the banquet is to welcome his honor in recognition of his birth." The servant finish.

"Lord Sesshoumaru and Lord Gensoumaru?" Rin said squinting her eyes.

"Yes my Lady. Now, may I escort you to the others now?"

"The others…"

"Yes, I am Kioko nice to meet your acquaintance." She said bowing her head again.

"I am Rin… uh, one of the entertainers… um, from the brown clan…" Rin lied.

"Right this way my Lady." Kioko bow once more and then lead the way to where the others were.

Gensoumaru and Sesshoumaru came into Lord Hogojounshou's quarters. He was an old youkai with a good heart, and Gensoumaru pretty much got that side from his father.

"Sesshoumaru, this is your 5th in 100 year anniversary. I am happy to see that you very much resemble your mother and inherited your father's strength. On the other hand, you do not possess your mother nor your father's compassion. I do still believe that in time, that will come. And I do hope that you show a little affection towards the guests tonight for the banquet. Is this understandable?"

"Yes uncle." Sesshoumaru simply answer his uncle.

"Now, I believe that the both of you must go and prepare yourselves for the banquet. For this will be a long night." Lord Hogojounshou said to the both of them.

"I do pray that the rumors that went about last time don't come back again tonight cousin." Gensoumaru said to Sesshoumaru.

"Then I suggest that the banquet would end after dinner." Sesshoumaru said as he walks out of the room leaving Gensoumaru and his father.

"What am I going to do with that boy?" Lord Hogojounshou said.

"It's alright father, he can run from all banquets, but we'll just have to see how long he can manage to hide from lonesome."

"What ever do you mean my boy?" Lord Hogojounshou question his son.

"Someone will keep him company tonight, I'm sure of it."

"You say the same thing every other time."

"Yes, and every time was almost a success." Gensoumaru sigh.

"Yes only if it did…"

"But he dragged her out before she can even flinch her arms up to unbind her hair!" Gensoumaru and his father both sigh at this and then stared at the door where Sesshoumaru had left open.

Rin was taken to the East Wing where all the other Ladies were staying. All the ladies there were neither getting to know one another, finding the right outfit for tonights banquet, or having their hair done by their servants.

Rin spotted the Lady Naomi sitting by herself on a stone. Rin walked over to her and sat next to her.

"Oh, hi…" She said to Rin

"Hello I am Rin what is your name?"

"Oh, I'm Naomi from the Brown Dog Clan."

"What clan are you representing?" Naomi questions her.

"Oh, I don't really have a clan… you see they only called upon me to come here to simply entertain them." Rin said hoping that Naomi won't know that only each different Dog Clan can come.

"Oh… that's funny I thought that they only invite high rank female demons for entertaining?"

"Well I guess I'm the first then…" Rin said this as she was getting nervous.

"So what are you going to wear?" Naomi asks Rin.

"Ah, I don't really know, I sort of lost my belongings along the way I guess." Rin lied again.

"Really? How did that happen?" Naomi asks in wonder. Rin only gave a small smile and then stare at the ground being glad that she wasn't as curious as any other female youkai would be.

"Well, it's rather a long story, maybe another time." Rin said as she started to stand to leave.

"Would you like to barrow some of mine? I have so many!" Naomi said with a smile on her face.

"Oh, uh, no thanks, I rather not… I…" Rin was cut off as Naomi grabbed her hand and led her into her room. All the rooms in the wing has the same shape of room, the only thing to make it different was the belongings that each lady brought with her to fill the room. There were at least fifty high rank female youkai here and about half of them along with Naomi is to perform for the Lord and every other special guest tonight.

"So, what are you going to be doing for tonight's show Rin?" Naomi ask holding onto her 3-stringed instrument. Rin stared at her reflection in the golden mirror. She couldn't believe that Naomi have convinced her on going to this banquet that only demons can attend.

"I don't know yet…" Rin trailed off.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Naomi said.

"Oh, uh… I mean I'll be play…ing… uh the…" Rin looks around the room as she spotted the koto against the back wall. "Uh, the koto… I'll be playing the koto."

"Oh ok, that's great. I don't know many people who can play the Koto. I'm looking forward for you to play it!" Naomi said to Rin with a smile.

Now that Naomi is holding onto Rin's sleeves and dragging Rin along with her to the court room, Rin couldn't do anything but to walk along side with Naomi and many other Female youkais. Rin was dress in thirteen layers of kimono of multiple colors, toping it with a rich yellow one embroiled with cranes and red and gold blooming flowers that's fit for a court lady. Her hair was unbounded behind her back with only the top being held back by a simple but beautiful hair pin. Rin held the covered koto up against her chest, while Naomi just simply carried hers with both hands.

The two reach the court room that's now filled with many powerful youkais. They were all seated by ranks from highest to lowest. A marble stairway divided the second level and everyone who is seated on the second level towards the north are youkais of high ranks, and are ones who is most related to the family. The ones who are seated opposite of the second level on the first level would be the ladies of the court, and Rin is to be seated with Naomi and with the rest of all the high rank female youkais.

Everyone who's on the east side of the room, were special guest and generals of the lands. And finally, everyone who is seated in the west, are the travelers that escorted their Lords and Ladies to this palace. A white chair was seated just a little above the second level as an old youkai entered and stood at the top of the stairways. Seeing that the second level of seats was not yet filled, Rin knew that they were waiting for their names to be called.

As everyone filled the seats on the upper level along with Gensoumaru and Lord Hogojoushou, the old youkai finally announced Sesshoumaru being the last one to be seated. Everyone in the court room bow to the lord along with the old man that was on the stairway.

Sesshoumaru raise his right arm to signal the court people to rise. As everyone rose and took their seats, the old youkai came out once again and walked down the stairs to the center of the room. The old man held out a scroll and read out three names.

"Sir Yoshiro, Sir Kazuki, and Sir Katsuo." He announce as the three men made their way to the bottom of the stairs with the piece of pick fabric on a platform as a gift to the Lord Sesshoumaru.

"This was the last piece of fabric that your late mother weaved before she met her fate my Lord; and she wishes to give this to you on your 5th anniversary, or so she once told one of her maidens' milord." The brown dog clan was most popular for their arts of the weaving loom. Sesshoumaru's mother once practice the arts of weaving when she was still a maiden, and the clothes that Sesshoumaru wears now was made from her.

The fabric was handed to the Great Youkai Lord. He picked it up and squinted his eyes and brought the fabric closer to his senses.

Somehow, the fabric seems to have a mixture of scent in it, and Sesshoumaru, being the powerful demon that he is, became curious at this. His thoughts were interrupted at the voice of the old man once again.

"Lady Naomi of the Brown Clan from the lands of the South." He announced Naomi's name. Naomi was supposed to be the first start off of the ceremony, but she was too anxious to hear Rin play the koto and ask for one of the servants to tell the Old Youkai to call Rin out instead.

"What did you tell him?" Rin ask Naomi. Naomi only smiles at her and seeing that the servant was now approaching the Old Youkai, Rin became wary. "What did you tell him?" Rin question again. Her question was answered when the Old man announce her name.

Everyone in the court room whispers at the changes of the names. Sesshoumaru didn't seem to care and cast his attention on the fabric and held it closer to his nose. He couldn't make out what the strangeness of the fabric was, but only to know that he's been in acquaintance with it before.

Naomi pushed Rin to the center of the room as Rin reached down to her waist where her obi was and pulled out a flawless piece of cloth and cover her head with it. Everyone stares at Rin while she made her way to the center of the room.

She put the koto down in front of her and then bow down before the youkais that's on the second level. Rin slowly removed the cloth that covers the koto and look behind her at Naomi and then looked at the instrument again. She held out her right arm and then led it down slowly to the koto touching the tips of the strings with her fingers.

Sesshoumaru was distracted once again from the first stroke of the strings of the koto but kept his gaze on the pick fabric.

'_Bu fe yan cha yun,'_

He glances at the woman in front of him who had her face covered in a white piece of cloth.

'_Che shur er tu lien,_

Sesshoumaru had to squint his eyes at the woman. The music is beautiful and her voice was lovely, but why did she choose to sing in another language that he did not know.

'_Yi pu chi yun cho,_

This caused him to take off focus of the fabric and sat up straighter and became more cautious at the woman.

'_Xai gu chi yun guo,_

Sesshoumaru stood up from his chair and held the fabric to his nose and inhale it once. He took a step forward and threw the fabric onto his chair.

'_Ning pu chur,_

'_Ching-chung yun ching guo,_

Sesshoumaru pinned Rin on the spot where she knelt with the koto as she sang on. Now, he was curious to know why she was really here.

'_Cha yun nan xai tho…'_

When Rin finish the last verse, Sesshoumaru was already in the middle of the stairway. He made his way towards Rin and she bows down deeply as the court room seemed to be filled with voices.

Gensoumaru stared at his cousin coldly as he walked up to the woman. Sesshoumaru approached her and draw out his sword that was at his waist. Gensoumaru stood up but was stopped by his father who was at his side.

Sesshoumaru removed Rin's veil with his sword and let it drop to the marble floor. Her black hair covers her face from the sides, only showing the tip of her pale forehead. Sesshoumaru held his sword up to Rin again and this time, slid it through her long hair to the tip of her chin and slowly tilt her head up towards him.

Rin's face was towards Sesshoumaru but kept her gaze at the ground. Rin can feel the cold steal of the sword and it made the hair on her body stand as the chill went through her body.

"Why do you choose to sing in this language?" Sesshoumaru question the girl beneath him. Sensing her fear, Sesshoumaru put the sword back into its seath. Rin drop her head back down and gaze at the ground once again.

"This is a song that I learned from my master. The language itself is in Chinese milord." Rin try to explain to the Inu Youkai who stands over her a moment later.

"Explain." Sesshoumaru ordered coldly as Rin sat up straighter. Once again, she strokes the koto and then tries to explain it as best as she can to the lord.

"_There's an extraordinary beauty in the North. The most beautiful being in the world. Her first glance causes the city to bow before her. Her second glance causes the empire to fall into ruins. But there is no such an empire or a city. What can be more cherished than a beauty like this?" _Rin finish.

After saying this, Lord Hogojoushou laughs and clapped his hands together. The rest of the crowd smile and clapped along as well. Rin smirk at this and took another bow to Sesshoumaru, collected the koto, and then left to take her seat next to Naomi once again.

Sesshoumaru watch as the girl walked away, leaving him in the center of the room. Never have he heard a better song in years. Although her song was unique, there was something strange about her. And as it may seem, her presences connects with his late mothers weaving project.

The rest of the entertainers were being called out and the gifts were given to Sesshoumaru in order. It may seem that he is paying attention to the entertainers, but somehow, his eyes tell him otherwise.

He must somehow know who this Rin is as he feels that there is a connection between her and the pick fabric. He ate very little during dinner and pays little attention to the rest of the court ladies. As he was being brought up to conversations by his cousin and his uncle, his nose follows the scent of the female with the foreign song.

Gensoumaru and Lord Hogojoushou have never been happier. As it seems to them, Sesshoumaru improved his respect towards the guests this time and Hogojoushou didn't know who to thanks. He wonders if it was the girl with the foreign song, or was it god himself who had helped to make this banquet the best one so far for Sesshoumaru.

Gensoumaru can sense his cousin's anxiousness. And with that, he talks with laughter to the guests. He thought that he'll never see his cousin so _"attracted"_ to a woman, and as a result, perhaps he would be right about his cousin being restless tonight.

Rin was now growing nervous of the potion that she put on her. She saw the looks in the eyes of stronger demons. They look at her suspiciously and knowing how demons can be sometimes, made her grew weak in her conversations. Now, she was afraid that they can detect her within a second. She made her excuse from the chatting group, made her way around the people, grabbed her koto and headed for the exit.

Sensing that Rin was no longer in the court room, Sesshoumaru also made his way towards the exit. As he came out of the court room, he can see Rin walking towards the East Wing to where the guests were staying. If he was to be any other low life bastard youkai, he would follow the girl and try to seduce her with every bit of his will. But not tonight, for tonight, he has to straighten out some things first.

Sesshoumaru walked to his quarters and then into his room where Kioko was preparing his bed. Seeing that her lord has just walked in, Kioko went on her knees and bow before her lord. Sesshoumaru sat on the mat that was on the floor at the far corner opposite of his bed, and insisted Kioko to come to his aid.

"Yes milord, what is it that you need?" Kioko ask with her head bowing low.

"Go to the East Wing where the guests are staying and ask for the girl by the name call Rin. Tell her that I am bound for some answers and whom she is the only one who can give them to me." Sesshoumaru say to Kioko.

"Sake or tea milord?" Kioko ask before leaving.

"Sake." Sesshoumaru simply said as Kioko made her way out the door.

Rin put the koto down against the wall. She stared at herself in the mirror and combed her hair slowly strand by strand. For the first time in her life, she actually looked her most beautiful. There were many other times where she would wear a beautiful embroiled kimono and have her hair held up in a fashion, but this time, she really looked like a court lady- a woman of good breeding who is entitle as high rank. But behind all those clothes and make-up, all she is, is human; just an ordinary girl whose fate has been change since childhood. Behind the reflection is an orphan who has no one. No one loves her and she has no one to love.

The least she can do is to show compassion and pity, but she knows that she must leave all that behind someday as well. Her journey is a long one and along the way, she has met many people. And with all those people, they were her family next to her master whom she has not seen in so long. She creates a bound with them, and then the next thing she knew, she is on her journey traveling once again leaving everything behind but the memory.

Rin set the comb on the table and stood up to take off the layers of kimono. Just as she was about to do so, a knock came on the screening door. She opens the slid doors without cautious thinking that it was Naomi, but to her surprise, it was the servant she had met earlier, Kioko.

Rin was more than delighted when she learned that the Lord Sesshoumaru wished to see her. Now she can tell him of her long search for the sword Tenseiga. But will it really be that easy to just ask him out of the ordinary? What would he think of her and how would she explain this to him? And would he just agree to this just like that? Plus, what would he want out of it?

Rin was becoming more and more nervous as they walked closer and closer to the lord's quarters. She must think fast and act professionally so that the lord won't know what she's trying to pull. Before she knew it, Kioko had led her through a gate door and was now leading her to Sesshoumaru's waiting room.

Kioko slid the door open and then bow as Rin walks in. Sesshoumaru was standing next to a small table in the far left corner. His expression was calm and had his left arm on his waist where his sword hung freely from his hip. Rin took a bow to him as Kioko slid the screen doors close behind her.

A smile came on Gensoumaru's face when she saw the woman and Kioko enter his cousin's quarters. For the first time, Sesshoumaru have asked a servant to call for a woman. And to him, this calls for more than a celebration. He has to get to know this woman for she was the first one in history to ever captivate Sesshoumaru's attention. He couldn't wait to tell his father about this and could hardly wait to ask for the lady to stay at the palace longer. He walked away from Sesshoumaru's quarters feeling as if he's won a bet with his cousin.

"Milord…" She said. "You ask to see me?"

Without a word, Sesshoumaru took a few steps closer to the small table and then took a seat on the floor.

"I sense that you are no ordinary woman… at least not here, not tonight." He said to her coldly.

"What do you mean milord?" She question him dumbly.

"My senses tells me that you have business here. What is that you seek?" Now, Sesshoumaru's eyes grew cold. Why is this woman here, a fox woman; the woman that he saw with a little human girl during the night of the full moon. And why does she hide in a little box mixing her scent with his mother's latest weaving project? Sesshoumaru was determine to find out why; and tonight, he'll drink sake with her to make her tell him her reason.

"I seek nothing more than to…" Rin was cut off by the opening of the screen doors. Kioko brought in a tray with a pot and two cups on it. _'Warm sake?' _Rin thought as she observes the older woman carry in the tray. She set down the tray in front of her as she steps through the door, then knelt down next to the screen doors and slides it close. She then picked up the tray of sake and carefully made her way to her lord and the girl.

Rin thought about this; does she really have to explain everything to this powerful youkai who sits in front of him? She has to decide. Tenseiga is as important to the Fox Clan as it is to life itself. She wonders how she can try to convince him into handling her the sword without any curiosity.

What if she just tells him to come with her so that her master can explain to him for better understanding? But would a lord like himself let his pride down that easy to help a clan of fox; a worthless fox clan that is not even worthy for him to save from dying?

To him, the fox demons are beneath him as it is as well as a result in the circle of ranks. The Dog Clans are one of the most powerful and most honorable rank; and to think that a Great White Dog as Sesshoumaru helping a Fox Clan in China was unthinkable.

Rin must think fast, but how? and what is she suppose to do? As soon as Kioko set the tray on the table, she left the two to their pervious conversation. Sesshoumaru set one cup in front of Rin and pour her a cup of warm sake; then did the same with the cup that's in front of him.

"As I was saying milord…" Rin start again taking a deep breath. "I seek nothing more… than… than to ask upon your… uh…" Rin grew nervous and Sesshoumaru's eyes tells her that he wasn't liking this. She must decide and she must do it fast before the White Dog grows furious. But what will her decision be? Tell him the truth and be rejected? Or tell him a lie and fight with him for Tenseiga? Rin close her eyes and swallow hard, then open her eyes again and this time, with determination, she will tell him the truth in honor of her master.

"I…" Rin was cut off by a chuckle from Sesshoumaru. Rin turned red from embarrassment. _'What am I thinking? Trying to talk to this perverted, quite, stubbon dog like this?' _Rin thought as the chuckle rested slowly under Sesshoumaru's breath. Sesshoumaru looked at Rin in the eye with mockery.

"Who sent you here?" Sesshoumaru question Rin. Rin didn't speak as the moment went by. Right now, she was really lost and didn't know where to start.

"You are not like other women whom I've met before. Why are you asked to come here to try to seduce me when you do nothing more but grow nervous at your every breath?" Sesshoumaru's eyes pinned Rin in the spot as he spoke. It was either that Rin was imagining what he had just said, or it was neither her human ears that wasn't working very well tonight. She blinked a couple of times and then let out a laugh._ 'This is ridiculous'._ Rin thought.

"Let me guess… You were going to say that you seek for nothing more upon keeping me company… is that correct?" Rin couldn't believe her ears. She looks down at her cup of sake in between her hands and inwardly laugh to herself of what he was thinking. _'He thinks I'm here to keep him company; and to seduce him?' _

She thought that the idea is funny but it just might work. She can try to seduce him into handling her the sword so that everything will be done with. But with this game of seduction, it'll have to take time; for she didn't know much about the game of _catching the Rabbit_.

"If it pleases you milord, I'll bid my adieu…" As Rin was about to stand to take her leave, Sesshoumaru stop her by raising his cup of sake.

"Yes, if only that you promise to drink this cup of sake with me before it grows cold Lady Rin." He said to her.

Rin raise one eyebrow at her name and then settle herself down again. She held the cup with both hands raising it up in front of her.

"For our friendship…" She decided to say instead.

"For… your friendship Lady Rin…"

"Please, call me Rin…" She smiles at him.

"Rin…" he said her name. They both drank the warm sake with Sesshoumaru finishing first. He watches the girl drank the rest of the sake and thought to himself: _'Yes Rin… For your friendship, and for your company as well. I will play this game of yours because god knows if I'll ever have another opportunity to drink with such a great beauty from afar again.'_

OMG! This has got to be one of the most longest chapters that I've ever written! I worked on it for so long too… hehhehe well I hope that you guys like the chapter, I was going to divide this chapter into two, but then I decided not to… I guess I was too excited about writing this chapter… hehehhehe

Ok, just a couple of notes to you guys…

**NOTES:**

Alright, I decided to call the Great Lord of the North Hogojounshou, meaning, Raising of Protector.

**Hogo – Protector**

**Joushou – Raising **

So it's like Protector Raising or something…

Oh yes, and if you guys have figured, the song that I decided to make Rin sing was from the movie: **House of Flying Daggers**. It was the part where Zhang Ziyi was singing in the beginning and she was wearing a blue dress. I thought that the song was really nice and figure that it fits the part perfectly for my story…

So forgive me if I suck, and forgive me that I barrow the song from a movie… vv anyways if you guys have any questions, please feel free to email me ok…

Always… until the next chapter we meet,

milacute aka: Sexy-Sama-San


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